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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Help please! Flirtation with a guy at work

178 replies

SomewhereBeyondTheSea · 07/11/2013 10:39

Ok MNers, I've been considering posting this thread for some weeks now and have finally got frustrated enough to do it. So - tough love needed please.

I really fancy a guy at work. Am 99.9% sure he likes me too. We've worked together for over a year but the flirtation has only been going on for about 10 weeks. We drunkenly kissed at the end of a work evening out - that's what started things.
The next day I did the whole 'oh I was so drunk last night' thing, basically because I'd never thought of him like that before and I was a bit embarrassed. So he got the impression I wasn't interested, I think.

But since then the flirting and chemistry has ramped up to the point that everyone else we work with has noticed and it's become pretty full on and, tbh, embarrassing - I hate feeling I'm being gossiped about.

But - here's the rub - he hasn't asked me out. We've been out for work drinks with colleagues several times since then and nothing has happened. Each time, he spends the whole evening talking just to me, lots of chemistry and eye contact, but we never seem to actually make a move on each other.

The latest time was last night. I am sick of this now. I would rather he left me alone and didn't fancy me than continue like this. It is driving me batty quite frankly.

One further consideration (trying not to drip feed): I recently got a BIG promotion which means I will be leaving his department next month and won't see him from one day to the next. I am wondering whether he's either intimidated by this (I will be in a much higher status role than him, in terms of internal politics, kudos etc), or he's waiting for me to move jobs so that if things go wrong or I turn him down, he won't have to work with me every day.

On the other hand I just keep thinking, keep it simple, stop making excuses for him: if he liked me, he would have done something about it by now. He hasn't, so he's clearly just not that into me.

All my female friends reckon they had to make a move on their partners and I should just bite the bullet and ask him out. I did vaguely say something a couple of weeks ago about 'would he like to go for a drink' when he gets back from holiday (he has been away for the last couple of weeks), and he said yes definitely when he gets back. Yesterday was his first day back, we were in the pub all evening and he didn't mention it at all. Is that a hint that I should just drop the idea?
Aaaargh.

Seriously, tough love needed. Should I try and push it forward, should I tell him to stop flirting because it's making me uncomfortable at work, should I just be zen-like calm and professionalism and write the whole thing off? Or should I be patient and wait and see what happens when I move jobs?

Help please!

PS. Yes we are definitely both single!

OP posts:
mumbaisapphire · 08/11/2013 17:42

Any update?

SomewhereBeyondTheSea · 08/11/2013 17:51

Haven't done it yet (I work late hours). Am going to do it en route out.

OP posts:
MushroomSoup · 08/11/2013 17:51

Come ooooonnnn!

MushroomSoup · 08/11/2013 17:52

Aww! Frustrating x-post!

GlaikitFizzog · 08/11/2013 17:54

Sometimes you just have to grab the bull by the horns. If we did a poll on mners who had to make the first move on their DHs you would be surprised.

If it helps, I grabbed Dh by the tie and snogged him full on in the middle of the dance floor on a Christmas night out (my friend worked with him and we'd met a few times, he wasn't just a random!) because the tension between us was electric. And I was slightly tipsy!!

Ooh, I would love to have the fluttery tummy feeling again!

GlaikitFizzog · 08/11/2013 17:55

Go do it now, now now!!

What is on the postcard btw? Please don't let it be Anne geddes or something! :o

SomewhereBeyondTheSea · 08/11/2013 17:57

I may give myself away completely Grin
It's a vintage Transport For London Art Deco design ...

OP posts:
GlaikitFizzog · 08/11/2013 18:01

Ok tasteful, not seaside tacky! I like that!

Now, go do it

FiscalCliffRocksThisTown · 08/11/2013 18:04

stop don't do it!

Go all aloof instead and leave it up to him.

This will be so cringe!

GlaikitFizzog · 08/11/2013 18:05

Bugger off fiscal! Wink :o

SomewhereBeyondTheSea · 08/11/2013 18:06

I did it !!!!
He was away from his desk so I put it beside the keyboard.

OP posts:
SomewhereBeyondTheSea · 08/11/2013 18:07

I've done aloof for weeks, it hasn't worked. If I make a fool of myself then so be it. I'll survive.

OP posts:
FiscalCliffRocksThisTown · 08/11/2013 18:10

You have to mix the aloof with moments of great warmth.

It confuses the hell out of em, and leaves them intrigued…

Oh what the hell, i don't know! Rules have changed, haven't they?

GlaikitFizzog · 08/11/2013 18:12

Rules are made to be broken!!

Yay! Go Somewhere!!

MollyBerry · 08/11/2013 18:16

I'm watching this! Excited for you!

SomewhereBeyondTheSea · 08/11/2013 18:25

Thanks all Smile
Now the pessimism begins ...
Tried to see whether it was still there as I left but couldn't quite tell. He is REALLY busy (early evenings are the most busy time of day for him), lots of people coming and asking for stuff, so I knew he would be too busy to talk to me if I did it at this time of day Grin

OP posts:
ziggiestardust · 08/11/2013 18:37

Well done OP! I think he thought you weren't bothered about him after the kiss and "oh I was so drunk!" line. Perhaps he felt that he'd put himself out there once, and he wasn't going to do it again without some kind of definite feeling from you.

So excited for you! SmileGrinWink

SomewhereBeyondTheSea · 08/11/2013 18:46

I remember very clearly when we kissed that it was him who started it, because I remember him looking at me and me repeating in my head like a mantra DO NOT LUNGE DO NOT LUNGE DO NOT LUNGE - because I wanted it to definitely be coming from him and not me. Not in a game playing way, just in a 'not making a fool of myself' way.

wibble

OP posts:
LornaMorello · 08/11/2013 18:54

I'm so excited for you! Really hope you two end up going for that drink Smile

PyroclasticFlo · 08/11/2013 19:04

Also de-lurking, hope it works out brilliantly for you Grin

InTheRedCorner · 08/11/2013 19:14

Well done!

Now the wait for the call begins...

SomewhereBeyondTheSea · 08/11/2013 19:33

I have chips and gin. Consolation prizes (am thinking pessimistically).
Well even if nothing happens at least I got rid of the horrible lingering sense of confusion and uncertainty.

OP posts:
SomewhereBeyondTheSea · 08/11/2013 20:22

I have a text message.

It is from my ex-boyfriend, who has not contacted me for at least six months (and I ignored those texts).
Is he psychic?

OP posts:
EBearhug · 08/11/2013 20:26

Vinegar really is better on chips than gin, you know...

Are you in the pub waiting?

poopinthebin · 08/11/2013 20:26

ooooh! Exciting.