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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

Casual sex confusion.

253 replies

fishfingersinmysandwiches · 10/10/2015 14:30

Ok. Will try to keep this as succinct as possible.

Met man around three years ago. Felt an intense chemistry between us but he was married so obviously nothing could happen. He admitted having feelings for me, things all got a bit fraught, I felt angry and guilty and consequently my behaviour became a little unhinged. I realised we were crossing a line even discussing it, so broke off all contact. I know I didn't behave well and should not have let things get even that far. I was in a terrible place at the time (not trying to excuse myself, just adding some context).

About a year ago he tried contacting me. This time I was in a much better place in terms of self esteem and was swift in shutting him down, telling him if he was still married then I would not contemplate any contact whatsoever between us.

Very recently I discovered through a mutual acquaintance that he had been separated for a while. And in a weak moment I contacted him. He seemed so pleased to hear from me - he has been living apart from his wife for a year, says he is in a good place, and the conversation quickly turned to when we met and how we felt about each other. The intense physical attraction had been mutual he said. He had "wanted me so much" but had not been prepared to engage in an extra-marital affair (as neither had I). But now he was single so was I going to come to him or would he come to me?

He was pretty quick off the mark and the first one to bring up the idea of us getting together. I at first expressed reservations: 1) That it was entirely possible that we would meet and no longer feel the same about each other, and 2) That I had been hurt and confused before and didn't want to go through the same again. That I had had romantic as well as sexual attraction to him and so was wary of having my feelings hurt.

He said he understood and that despite having been separated for a year was probably not ready to commit to anything other than "good times". I had a think about it and replied saying, "Well look, I want good times too" (I do - it's been a long time for me) "so let's just have a weekend together, see how it goes (after all we may no longer even fancy each other) and then if it looks like things are going to get too complicated at any point we always have the option to knock it on the head?"

He says yes. Of course he wants to see me so let's do that. And let's see each other as soon as possible. He is hellishly busy but will get back to me with a weekend he can do asap. I say great. Can't wait.

That was a week ago. And I've heard nothing since.

I'm not asking for advice on a plan of action. I've already decided I will not contact him. If he wants to see me he will contact me, and if he doesn't then me contacting him to ask whyyyyy won't help and will just be humiliating.

But I would like some help trying to understand. I have agreed to giving a casual relationship a try. And I really am honestly prepared to give it a try. He doesn't have to want me for a girlfriend - I just really really want to finally consummate this attraction between us (the thought is so exciting I can barely contain myself). If that's all it is then ok. I can deal. But now it seems he doesn't want to and I just don't understand. Why would any man who wanted any woman as much as he says he did me, not want to have sex?

Did I imagine this chemistry? Impossible I think - those kind of sparks can't be faked. He is lying that he felt it too? Is he just busy and taking his time making plans (in which case why isn't he more enthusiastic?) Is he worried that it will inevitably result in some kind of negative fall out? And if he has changed his mind, why doesn't he just say?

I refuse to go crawling to him for answers and so have posted here. Thank you for reading. Would appreciate all and any thoughts.

OP posts:
SionnachDana · 12/10/2015 16:04

Yeh, I'm brave enough to text a man to ask if he wants to go out for a coffee, or for a drink. But having to text a man to remind him he said he'd have sex with you.................. Confused

brokenhearted55a · 12/10/2015 16:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 12/10/2015 16:48

Don't text him. I'm usually in the "text everyone!" camp but in this case it'd be akin to taking out a billboard with "Why won't you have sex with me?" on it.

And you won't be able to ignore him if he replies because if you could, you'd do it now and not text him in the first place.

CheersMedea · 12/10/2015 17:07

Why not to text. I read this linked on here before and it's great. Written by a man

FishFingers read this and read it again:

www.therulesrevisited.com/2011/08/dealing-with-breakup-or-rejection.html

I can’t count the number of girls I have decided to stop contacting after dating once or twice, or sleeping with, or even just talking to on the phone, who decide it would be worthwhile to call or text me a week or two later, apparently under the false impression or hope that I had simply forgotten to get back in touch with them - that I merely needed a reminder.

In one case I slept with a girl and even hung out with her a few times before I decided I didn’t want to continue seeing her. So I stopped calling her. Within a few weeks I got a text: “Headed to pacific beach, Wanna join?” I didn’t want to join, so I ignored the text. The next day, I got this: “I’m in your neck of the woods J.” Again, I read and acknowledged it (with a heavy dose of apathy), but did not respond. Then, again, over a month later: “Driving through your neighborhood and thought of you. Hope you are doing well J.” What was this girl hoping to accomplish? Did she really think that this would suddenly rekindle my interest?

Although I acknowledge the remote possibility that girls might just be fishing for sex in these situations, the thought of a girl having to do anything other than agree to male propositions in order to get laid is far more repulsive than the idea of a woman trying to salvage an obviously failed relationship; so I refuse to consider it. It will be the subject of another post. In any case, in this situation and others, I know from the circumstances that the girl wanted more than sex. So back to the original question: did she really think that this would suddenly rekindle my interest? Even if I did have some lingering interest in talking to her, it is hugely indicative of my overriding disinterest in a girl that I would actually forget to contact her for an extended period of time.

Any girl with an ounce of pride would not submit to this kind of treatment by soliciting further interaction. If a man decides to break up with a girl, or that it isn’t worth his time to get back in touch after a date or exchange of numbers, that is his decision. He needs to live with that, however easy or difficult the decision was for him to make. As a woman, you need to make him live with that. Men should be given one chance, and one chance only. Trust me: if we are really interested in you, or are at least physically attracted to you, we will take the opportunity you provide. The act of attempting to reconnect after you’ve been dumped or rejected or ignored only comes across as needy and insecure, two of the least attractive qualities.

fishfingersinmysandwiches · 12/10/2015 17:24

I have no intention of contacting him. I'm not going to change my mind on that. But that's for my sake, not his. I want to be able to walk away with some small semblance of pride in tact. I couldn't actually give a shite what he thinks of my sexual values.

Some good news: I had kind of lost my gym mojo these last few weeks, but now, what with all this pent up sexual energy, I am absolutely KILLING it in the weight room and positively sprinted out my 5k run today Grin

OP posts:
brokenhearted55a · 12/10/2015 17:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CheersMedea · 12/10/2015 17:38

Don't know about the rest of that site broken but the bit quoted above about texting seems bang on the money to me and what I'd advise a friend in the same position. I don't care about the rest of his site; that advice above is good.

In most cases you can't argue with this sentiment (and it applies to women too, with friends and with anything):
"it is hugely indicative of my overriding disinterest in a girl that I would actually forget to contact her for an extended period of time."

brokenhearted55a · 12/10/2015 18:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

fishfingersinmysandwiches · 12/10/2015 18:35

Ugh, those quotes you mention are vile Broken. Is he some sort of MRA or PUA?

OP posts:
brokenhearted55a · 12/10/2015 18:46

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Gabilan · 12/10/2015 18:53

I'm with Broken on this one. The extracts Cheers cite make it clear that it's up to the man to make contact and if he chooses to ghost a woman, she just has to suck it up.

fishfingersinmysandwiches · 12/10/2015 18:59

You know this thread has helped me so much. It's got me through a rough patch where I may have caved and contacted him (thank Christ I didn't). I was close last Thursday and Friday before I posted the thread but managed to sit on my hands.

I can feel myself starting to get a little stronger. Slightly less desperate for answers, and slightly more 'Ah fuck him'. I still want to see him but I don't feel so sad as I did. I'm aware this may not last however.

OP posts:
TripleRocks · 12/10/2015 19:45

Well done op Flowers

Sitting on ones hands can have its uses Grin

ThisIsStillFolkGirl · 12/10/2015 19:52

broken sad as it sounds, what that man said has pretty much been my experience. Vile or not.

PosterEh · 12/10/2015 20:04

I wonder if a whole weekend ended up being too much commitment for him. It sounds like he was telling you really clearly that it would be just about sex.

brokenhearted55a · 12/10/2015 20:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

fishfingersinmysandwiches · 13/10/2015 07:42

Am considering sending him a message calling things off today. The fact is I got carried away. We got back in contact and all the feelings I felt were ones from three years ago. I've come back down to earth a little now and us getting together is a terrible idea, I know. We may well not even feel the same about each other anyway - imagine the disappointment!

There is still a part of me that can't quite bear to close the door completely though Sad

OP posts:
donajimena · 13/10/2015 07:53

No don't! You've nothing to call off. Put yourself in someone elses shoes
E.g a man you aren't that interested in who you don't arrange anything with texts you to 'call off' your non existant relationship?
You would think 'wtaf' ?

fishfingersinmysandwiches · 13/10/2015 08:08

Oh yeah. I didn't think of it like that. Best just to leave it you reckon?

OP posts:
callmemaybe1 · 13/10/2015 08:44

If you text he's going to read: "I love you".

Isetan · 13/10/2015 08:56

Ohh FFS! It sounds like he's getting his no strings sex, from someone who isn't going to attach themselves and get all possessive when the arrangement stops.

Your behaviour screams someone who wants a hell of a lot more than casual sex and this man knows it and doesn't want the hassle of spelling it out.

The only person who will get hurt by the lies you tell yourself, is you.

Orangeisthenewbanana · 13/10/2015 09:09

Do not txt!! There is nothing to call off. Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are somehow taking back some of the power in the situation by preemptively calling it a day with him. You are using it as an excuse to have some sort of contact with him - hoping that he will be desperate not to lose his chance for a shag you and start chasing after you.

I know it really sucks to wonder what might have been, but you sound far too overinvested for any fuck buddy arrangement to end well for you. If it's meant to happen it will. But try to remember that if he makes you feel this crap now, how much worse it will be if you sleep with him and he isn't interested in giving you the relationship you might want afterwards. A little bit of pain now to avoid a potential shit-load later on. You deserve more than the scraps he deigns to send your way Flowers

SionnachDana · 13/10/2015 10:43

fishfingers yes, I'd leave it. I'm still sitting on my hands here too. And I'm glad. It's not much of a consolation, dignity, but I think when you do move past caring about him, you'll be relieved you never slept with him. IF he ever does contact you, blow him off. IF he texts, I'd text back saying ''I'm not after anything that casual''. He won't have LESS respect for you for saying that!!!!!!!!

x

Brew

PS, i have two more dates lined up to take my mind off the guy I liked. Even if they don't compare, I think getting out there and behaving in a way that won't make my friends put their heads in their hands on my behalf will help Smile

I told you that friend of mine was checking in on me to make sure I hadn't texted the man I liked ''so, thought you might reschedule that second date?'' and I told her yesterday that I've decided I won't. I definitely won't now.

CheersMedea · 13/10/2015 11:54

You are using it as an excuse to have some sort of contact with him - hoping that he will be desperate not to lose his chance for a shag and start chasing after you.

^ This is the point of that quote from the man broken doesn't like.

Thinking that someone (anyone) hasn't called you will suddenly remember how fantastic you are and/or be newly interested by a text or a call from you is flawed thinking. In 99% of cases, they won't have called you because they don't want to. in maybe 1% of cases, it will be because of a good reason (illness/death/emergency) but even then someone will usually get round to it.

You can't nudge someone into interest by a text.

My guess here is that this guy wants no strings attached sex and he strongly suspects (and he is right) that FishFingers is likely to be emotionally involved. After their initial contact, he's reflected and thinks getting involved here with cause him hassle he can do without dealing with a woman who wants more.

It's all pointless to discuss anyway because experience shows that that kind of intense emotional and sexual attraction is hard to ignore (because it's rare and exciting). Even if it's suspected to be one sided, an infatuated woman typically thinks "ah what the hell! He's amazing. I'll roll the dice cross my fingers and hope that after experiencing me I can win him round and he'll fall in love". It's highly unlikely that someone in the position of FishFingers with that intensity of attraction will have the will power to resist this lure - whether that is weakening and texting him in a drunken "what the hell moment" or responding to his lame "free tonight?" text in a few months when he's having a dry spell.

Most people have either seen our friends do this or been there. It's grim and always ends in tears. But I have a lot of sympathy for the "I'd rather try and have no regrets" way of thinking.

Blodss · 13/10/2015 12:39

Just leave it. Don't call or text. He is not interested. You are the one spending all this time angsting over him. He doesn't even have you on his radar. I think that you have created a whole scenario out of nothing. This chemistry was just him wanting a shag. You have over invested into something that just isn't there. Sorry.