i think he was just a libertine.

But i do know what you mean, in a lot of his writing he seems to view women as beautiful amusing pets who need to be taken care of but also gently kept in line.

Some of the quotes in the middle of "Time enough for Love" could be interpreted with a bdsm twist, but i can't remember any off the top of my head.

i too remember reading Farnham's Freehold when i was about 12 and being very excited by it.

Lots of other sexual themes reoccur in his writing too. Incest for one, and free love.