How do I let him down gently?

[Ichangedmyusernameagain]

I met this man through work a few weeks back and just managed to avoid exchanging numbers.

I did not think I would see him
again, but it looks like we will see each other again today. Arghh! Despite taking a like to him I am in a relationship so will not act on it.

I am usually blunt with guys that show interest but karma is a real
bitch and had it back at me. I am
more mature now so would like to take a more mature approach.

Please give me a few ideas wise mumsnetters!

If you would like to stay loyal just decide to be so.

Don't make eye contact with him, and play some mind games.
Pretend he is covered in warts.
Pretend he is married to your Aunt.
Pretend to have a short, loud, loved up conversation with your boyfriend on your phone.
etc. etc.

This other man is irrelevant. You're romanticising it somewhat with the 'I got my wish' stuff.

The bottom line is that you feel financially entangled to a man you don't really want to he with.

There is 'no point' to finding someone, anyone, attractive, it just happens.

You were also asking for advice on how to deal with something that hadn't actually happened. It was all in your head - he didn't ask for your number, you didn't need to 'let him down' gently or otherwise.

You sound very unhappy and are creating your own 'drama' (and I'm not being judgemental, I just can't think of a better word) because I think you just want to feel something or something else and this is giving you the opportunity to do that.

But it doesn't mean anything other than you are unhappy in your relationship.

Maybe I did not explain it properly. I wished I felt like this for someone else 20 years ago. I am all over that now. It was so that I could get over the pain I felt back then. I could not see a point in getting my wish when I don’t really want it anymore. But as @GreyCarpet said, we don’t get to choose who and when we like them. And it’s probably the universe telling me I need to address some issues in my relationship, which at the moment isn’t that bad I guess. At least not compared to my friends’ ones. After so long of being together life is not rose every single day. It’s just calm.
I agree that I created a bit of drama in my head, but it was brought about the fact that he actually offered to give me his number in the beginning. I changed the subject and cut the conversation as I got taken by surprise, and had not enough clues back then to assume what he wanted to give me the number for when we had only been talking about work.
Thanks for your views, I really needed an outsider’s perspective.