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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

I'm so confused - sex in new relationship

149 replies

Cloudyafternoon · 17/11/2022 00:29

Been seeing a guy for two months but he's been pursuing me for about two years. He is 48, I am 40. I was coming out of a messy divorce and recovering from that so not interested in a new relationship at the time. Two months ago we spent a lot of time together and became very emotionally close. I felt safe with him so decided to take the step of dating him. It has been very respectful, very nice, great conversations.

We had sex for the first time 2 weeks ago, on a minibreak. We spent a lot of time in bed cuddling but the sex (it happened twice over three days) was missionary, head down, no eye contact, and over very quickly. That's a lot of time to be in bed cuddling and talking naked with someone without actually having sex or doing anything sexual. In fact, I don't think he has seen me fully naked at all, and neither me him (his choice.)

Due to work/children commitments, we could not see each other again for 2 weeks. We spoke every day on the phone and I tried to open up some conversation around sex and what he likes and there was lots of chat (instigated by him) about how he wants to rip my clothes off and get me naked and have sex again. I found this a bit odd because he had plenty of opportunity while we were away and preferred cuddling.

He lives outside London so came down for the night tonight and booked into a hotel. The plan was always that I would go back with him, but return to kids at home to sleep. I got a babysitter, booked til 2am, wore some nice underwear and got dressed up. I took him for dinner and when dinner was over we had agreed we would go back to his hotel together, but he seemed to get nervous about what it would be like, whether he had booked for two or for one etc. Bizarre as it's what we had arranged.

Finally got back to the hotel and he jumps on me. Pulls my dress up, takes my pants off, pulls his trousers down, puts on a condom and we have sex again. Missionary style. I have been looking forward to this forever, so despite the fact it didn't last long, I finish. He then finishes, pulls out, rolls over and falls asleep, snoring. It was about five minutes. I get my phone out and start scrolling. He pulls me in for a cuddle then falls back to sleep.

I eventually get up and start to get dressed. It's 10pm. He's barely awake. I go to the loo, get my stuff together and start booking a taxi. Meanwhile he is snoring. When I leave I let him know, he props himself up a bit in bed and pulls me in again for another hug and a kiss and off I go.

I don't know what is wrong with me, but I keep coming away with a strange feeling. Maybe my expectation of sex in a new relationship is too much? During our minibreak there were several times I pulled the covers off both of us, tried to sit up and look at him properly but he pulled the covers back over, pulled me back down into the bed, cuddled me again and asked me jokingly what on earth I thought I was doing. I don't know how he expects to have a relationship like this, and he keeps saying it's a relationship he wants.

He was married for 15 years before this. He says I am the first person he has had sex with since his divorce. Is this normal? Am I wrong to feel paranoid?

OP posts:
MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 17/11/2022 00:31

It won't get better so decide now if you're happy witj this kind of sex. Sounds dire.

Aquamarine1029 · 17/11/2022 00:40

It's not working for you, allow yourself to admit it. Who could blame you? The whole thing sounds dreadful, and it won't be getting any better.

This is not a love match. End it and don't waste your, or his, time.

Dontbelieveawordofit · 17/11/2022 00:48

He might just be very shy and not very body confident. He may have only ever slept with his wife or not had sex in a very long time.
Yes, sometimes sex can be explosive right from the start but sometimes it takes time to get comfortable (and naked) with someone.
But if you're just not feeling it and no longer find him attractive or exciting enough to see if things can get better, then best to just explain that to him and move on.

RosalindsAFuckingNightmare · 17/11/2022 00:57

My DP was a bit like this when we got together. He'd been married for a long time and they hadn't had sex in ages, so he did have some performance anxiety. Plus the sex he had been having was with someone who wasn't me and he didn't know what I liked (and tbh it sounds like their sex was very vanilla). It was a bit like being a teenager again actually. He's probably used to "long-term married" sex and being a bit complacent. I had to take the lead (against my usual preference!) and it sounds like you might have to too. A few years down the line and it's 100% better. In those first fumbly awkward days of our relationship I thought I would never orgasm again, but I was wrong 😊

Bananarama21 · 17/11/2022 01:00

Why were you pulling the covers off imagine if a man did that to a woman would be considered creepy. I think it sounds like nerves until people relax with one another and gain confidence. Doesn't sound like your feeling it though

CallieQ · 17/11/2022 01:03

The main issue is lack of foreplay surely... who wants 5 min sex?

MrsMorrisey · 17/11/2022 01:10

Sounds fine to me 😂

ShippingNews · 17/11/2022 01:23

I'd give him the benefit of the doubt. My DH was like that at first, he'd been married previously and apparently his first wife liked it short and sweet, for procreation only, and he'd been celibate for over 10 years. He had no çonfidence at all. But he was lovely in every other way so I hung in there and gradually made suggestions. Everything worked out in the end. Sometimes you just need some patience.

ChristmasisRuined · 17/11/2022 03:00

You sound incredibly judgemental Hmm

Butterfly44 · 17/11/2022 03:26

He doesn't know any different. Probably doing what he was used to. If you like him have a conversation, as not talking about it will kill the relationship anyway

Januarcelebration · 17/11/2022 03:29

So confused by what I have just read.

You don’t enjoy the sex. So either talk to him and maybe take the lead or end it. Its obvious he is nervous only you know if you want to take the time out to help him live past thats

However

During our minibreak there were several times I pulled the covers off both of us, tried to sit up and look at him properly but he pulled the covers back over, pulled me back down into the bed, cuddled me again and asked me jokingly what on earth I thought I was doing. I don't know how he expects to have a relationship like this, and he keeps saying it's a relationship he wants

This is weird and I don’t understand what you were thinking your were doing. Especially when he made it clearly he wasn’t comfortable. This isn’t ok

VioletPickles · 17/11/2022 04:40

Still early days and he’s probably nervous. I’d give it time. Although absolutely not keen on the ‘pulling the covers off‘ thing. You can’t force him to be comfortable with that. If a man did that to me I’d feel so exposed and vulnerable especially on the first time we’d been together.

blisstwins · 17/11/2022 04:45

Bananarama21 · 17/11/2022 01:00

Why were you pulling the covers off imagine if a man did that to a woman would be considered creepy. I think it sounds like nerves until people relax with one another and gain confidence. Doesn't sound like your feeling it though

Agree. I am not especially body confident and this would kill me. If you like him otherwise I would give it time.

Monty27 · 17/11/2022 05:05

I'd be pissed off if a man pulled the bedding away to have a look.
Maybe he takes a while to warm up and you pressurising him to perform is what you got. A whole 5 minutes.
What is your hurry OP? You've only been seeing each other for 5 minutes.
It's really not necessary to be so full on.

Whataretheodds · 17/11/2022 05:14

I'd find it a massive turn-off that he was not putting in any effort to please me sexually or find out what pleases me sexually.

One of the most exciting aspects of a new relationship is exploring and delighting in each other's bodies.

Up to you whether you decide to talk to him about it or tell him it's not working. I'd be more inclined to talk about it if he was trying to get you off but not managing it. Jumping straight on you for 5 mins doesn't scream 'I'm interested in your pleasure, i want to make this work'.

I might have found the covers thing a bit weird but oh well.

Whataretheodds · 17/11/2022 05:15

Oh - and when I've been with men initially who had performance anxiety they made more effort with their mouth and fingers before PIV. Not less.

Quiegal · 17/11/2022 06:09

It does sound your not into the sex he gives you. Like your disappointed as it's not as exciting as maybe you thought.

You don't have to see him anymore if your not feeling it.

girlmom21 · 17/11/2022 06:16

I agree with the others - you need to communicate with him. And don't pull the covers off him. That's weird.

The rolling over and falling asleep after sex is a huge turn off though.

ThatEdgyFeeling · 17/11/2022 06:16

He's crap in bed. I would bin. We early 50s. I was in a marriage that was sexless for 10 years, overweight amd had a terrible c section tummy. My DP (ex wife virtually sexless) and I are insanely attracted and had great sex from the off. To begin with not technically expert as we had to learn each others likes and dislikes but nothing as awful as this sounds.

It really won't improve. It's his mindset

MiddleParking · 17/11/2022 06:20

Booking a hotel to get your hole and then dithering about whether he’s “booked for one or two” as if that’s how hotels work. Five minutes on the job then he falls asleep at, what, 9pm? Nah that’s completely normal in the first throes of new romance, sounds amazing actually. When’s the wedding?

AgentJohnson · 17/11/2022 06:21

You have obvious expectations about sex but you appear to not want to be proactive about communicating it. He’s all talk, if you want more then you are going to have to speak up and take more of a lead. This is an opportunity to be a more active advocate for your sex life, don’t leave it to a man to dictate what happens between you between the sheets.

BellePeppa · 17/11/2022 06:39

CallieQ · 17/11/2022 01:03

The main issue is lack of foreplay surely... who wants 5 min sex?

I really went off sex as I got older so 5 minutes sounds perfect to me. In fact my preferred time now is zero minutes 😁

Mumofnarnia · 17/11/2022 06:41

Sorry but if a man pulled the covers off me and started staring at my naked body I’d feel violated and think it was a bit creepy if I’m being honest. Some people, like myself are body conscious so for me, I can think of nothing worse than someone pulling the covers off me to look at my body that I’m extremely paranoid about.

However, I can also understand why you’d feel unhappy. Quick sex with no foreplay, no eye contact, head down, finishing and then rolling over and falling asleep afterwards would tell me that he was not really into me and that the sex was just for him to ‘get off’ rather than trying to bond with me and form a connection. Something seems off.

BoobsAhoy · 17/11/2022 06:43

I think sex is just wrong. Tell him. See if it improves. If not bin.

the cover thing not weird.

BoobsAhoy · 17/11/2022 06:44

“Violated” fgs. You’re having sex. You’re in bed together naked.