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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

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Affair gone wrong - I know I deserve it

249 replies

Susannah4444 · 22/02/2015 22:41

I just wondered if you could help me out with this without being too judgmental. I am married with two children and recently began an affair with a colleague who is also married with two children.

We have been working together for two years. For the first eighteen months we just enjoyed each others company and flirted a little bit. He was suggestive a few times but I always told him that as much as I found him attractive, I would never have sex with him because we were both married. However all of this changed a few weeks ago when we were alone in the office working on a project and he kissed me. I'm not sure how it happened but I do remember that it was one of the most passionate kisses I have ever experienced in my life and that I couldn't get him out of my head afterwards. Since then we have been intimate on one occasion (which has been amazing as far as I am concerned!) but we did not have full sex because we were in my car (shocking I know) and he had trouble maintaining his erection. I tried not to make an issue out of it but last week I felt I had to ask him what the problem was (because he didn't get very hard) and he told me that it wasn't me and that he tried to have an affair once before and couldn't get it up with her either. He had tears in his eyes when he told me and seemed really embarrassed and I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He says he thinks the problem is probably down to guilt but from what he's told me about his relationship with his wife, I'm not so sure he has sex with her either! He also said that he wants the affair to end between us (short lived I know but we have been sexting and flirting for a long time) because he feels guilty and can't handle it, but I can't help but think the real reason he wants it to end is because he is afraid the same thing might happen again. I know you will say that we both deserve this as we are both married and that we shouldn't be having an affair on the first place, and I am not about to argue with you, but I can't help but feel sad that our short-lived affair has ended this way and that it has left him feeling quite obviously distressed. I am in the process of getting divorced by the way (because my husband has been unfaithful to me) and although I don't know much about my colleagues circumstances, I have reason to believe he is not happy either.

My other concern is that he couldn't get hard because of me - I know he says he couldn't get a full erection because of guilt (and we were in a car) but I can't help but think it was my fault in some way. He told me that he really, really fancies me and that I shouldn't take it personally but I can't help wondering if I put him off in some way.

Sorry to ramble on but I really needed to get this off my chest.

Your comments would be much appreciated as I don't want the relationship to end and I can't decide what to do next.

OP posts:
Eustasiavye · 24/02/2015 07:42

The reason you feel attached is because you want to prove that you are desirable after your ex cheated on you.

Leave this cb eat and move on.

TyrannosaurusBex · 24/02/2015 07:48

Still think this reads like a porn-reading man's fantasy...

Marmaladybird · 24/02/2015 09:39

I don't like the 'But I'm going through a divorce, poor me,' stance at all. If anything that should have made you run a mile - believe it or not some of us have been there too. The world doesn't start and end with you.

And don't insult anyone's intelligence (or give yourself the excuse) that you didn't know what would happen on your lunchtime jaunt. Did you do your business in ASDA car park or a lonely dark back alley/lane. There you go then - you were driving and completely in control of that one.

Glad to see you're putting it all to bed - just leave him be, get divorced and then find a single man. It's really not that hard (if you'll pardon the pun).

Therewere5inthebed · 24/02/2015 10:23

I think you need to take a big step back and look at your OP. It's full of self pity and you come across as though you believe that you can justify potentially wrecking someone else's marriage just because your husband was unfaithful. It's NEVER justified. Think of your children, his children and his wife and how terrible you felt when you found out about your husbands affair and stop being so selfish.

HometownBeauty · 24/02/2015 12:59

OP has my sympathy, looks like she's in a bad situation. If the man was happy at home in the 1st place he might not have been looking for something else, maybe? Can you try things like Viagra etc? Good luck :)

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 24/02/2015 13:07

Hometown... You know that this part of the board is very much focused on support for OPs with broken marriages/relationships, etc. don't you? I think your post is a bit stupid really unless you think that people having affairs need cheerleading and backslapping?

Your post is insensitive to the feelings of others and I can't see anything of value in it unless you know this man's medical history and suitability for Viagra.

heartisaspade · 24/02/2015 13:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HometownBeauty · 24/02/2015 13:23

I'm just being objective & giving my advice to someone who asked for help. Sorry I don't agree with your point of view & have an opinion of my own, sorry I didn't join in castigating the OP. I'm not the only one. Just because someone else was hurt by an affair doesn't make it the case in every scenario. Sometimes you have to put your own happiness first you only get one life after all.

magoria · 24/02/2015 13:27

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LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 24/02/2015 13:29

I didn't castigate the OP either. I think she has her focus in entirely the wrong place, it should be on her own family and she should walk away from this man and not look back.

It's true, you do only get one life. So does everybody else. Mistakes are inevitable but actively going out to be reckless and possibly hurt someone else, come what may, isn't exactly a good maxim for that, is it?

You're being very insensitive.

Creeturefeeture · 24/02/2015 13:37

It's guilt- as I man I completely understand it. You should stop trying to shag a married man.

jerryfudd · 24/02/2015 13:40

He was only in it for the Chace. You offered it on a plate. He wasn't interested. Move on. You were a bit of fun or a dare/bet I'd guess

jerryfudd · 24/02/2015 13:41

*chase even

HometownBeauty · 24/02/2015 13:41

Maybe the man's marriage had been on the rocks for ages & OP is doing his wife a massive favour? You don't know do you. I've had bad things happen to me that lead to good things, but they felt bad at the time. Don't be so quick to judge, and don't be so cynical just because someone disagrees with you.

magoria · 24/02/2015 13:47

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Vivacia · 24/02/2015 15:46

How would she be doing his wife a favour??

badbaldingballerina123 · 24/02/2015 16:25

I can't believe some of these responses ranging from doing the wife a favour to suggestions of viagra , to erectile dysfunction.

It's perfectly normal for a man to not get an erection with a woman he's not attracted to. It's also perfectly normal to not want to continue things with someone your not attracted to. Maybe it's as simple as that.

Hometown , maybe he is unhappy at home. But it doesn't really matter because he STILL doesn't want to engage in an affair with the Op. He's been offered it on a plate and has said NO.

freelanceconundrum · 24/02/2015 17:04

OP. You need to let this go. He is married, he is in all sorts of trouble. You need to get your life back. This is only the first rush of passion after a long marriage. You need to take a step back (and possibly change jobs).

heartisaspade · 24/02/2015 18:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

feministwithtitsin · 24/02/2015 19:30

I think most of the posts about him not beig able to get it up because hes not attracted to you are probably from very jaded people, looking to be purposefully hurtful to you because you were cheating. I suspect they have been cheated on and would love to say this to the OW. If you were both single, i doubt they would post such things. I suspect he has some kind of erectile dysfunction or wasnt feeling it because of the situation.

I do however think you should leave well alone, concentrate on your children and stop obsessing about this.

Im not sure what advice etc you were looking for when you started this thread...

badbaldingballerina123 · 24/02/2015 20:29

There's nothing jaded about stating the obvious feminist.

HometownBeauty · 24/02/2015 20:37

I am a pharmacist & Viagra is perfect for this kind of situation

HometownBeauty · 24/02/2015 20:42

I'm a pharmacist, Viagra is perfect for this kind of problem

badbaldingballerina123 · 24/02/2015 21:04

HE DOESN'T WANT TO SEE HER ANYMORE

AnyFucker · 24/02/2015 21:38

bb123, why would we let a small detail like that stand in the way of troooo lurrrrve a man's erection