The story of Ravan lifting the Earth and never touching Sita is from the tamil Kamban Ramayan. In Valmiki Ramayan, he actually lifts Sita with his hands and carries her away. Here are the verses from the direct translation.
15b, 16. su duSTa aatmaa = verily, evil, minded [Ravana]; kaama mohitaH = by lust, maddened; raakshasaH raavaNaH = that demon, Ravana; priya [vacana] arhaam = for nice, [words,] proper one - to talk to; priya vaadiniim = nice, talker; maithiliim = to Maithili; vaakyam iti uktvaa = words, this way, on saying; abhi gamya = nigh, drawing - approaching her; khe budhaH rohiNiim iva = in firmament, Budha - the Jupiter, with Rohini, as with; siitaam jagraaha = Seetha, he grabbed.
On saying that sentence to Maithili, who by herself is a nice talker and who is a proper one for addressing with nice words, that verily evil-minded demon Ravana maddened by lust drew nigh of Seetha and grabbed her, as Budha, the Jupiter grabs the Star Rohini in firmament. [3-49-15b, 16]
What happened to the lakshmaNa rekha? 'A boundary drawn by Lakshmana when he departed Seetha in search of Rama?' Some discussion about this is there in the endnote. Here, even though Ravana is su duSTa aatmaa, kaama mohitaa 'a very wicked souled and lustily crazed...' it is all for other women, but not towards Seetha. And thus he caught hold of Seetha, as the planet Budha, Jupiter, the son of Moon catches his own Star mother Rohini, a dear wife the Moon, reverentially. Maheshvara Tiirtha. Later commentators rejected this saying that, if it were to be so, then Ravana has Oedipus complex.
17. saH = he; padma akSiim siitaam = lotus, eyed, at Seetha; vaamena kareNa eva muurdhajeSu = with left, hand, thus, head-hair; dakSiNena paaNinaa uurvoH tu = with right, hand, thighs, but; parijagraaha = grabbed.
He that Ravana grabbed the lotus-eyed Seetha on lifting her up with his left hand at her plait of hair at nape, and with his right hand at her thighs. [3-49-17]
18. mR^ityu sankaasham = Death, one similar to; tiikSNa damSTram = one with incisive, fangs; mahaa bhujam = mightily, armed one; giri shR^inga aabham = mountain, crest, in shine; tam dR^iSTvaa = him [who grabbed Seetha,] on seeing; vana devataaH = forest, deities; bhaya aartaa = by terrorism, terrorised; praadravan = quickly fled.
On seeing him who grabbed Seetha, who has incisive fangs, mightily armed and who is shining forth like a mountain crest and similar to Death, the forest deities quickly fled away terrorised by his terrorism. [3-49-18]
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