How to have a one-night-stand

Just because the sex is casual, doesn’t mean your manners should be:

1. Don’t have a one-night stand with a co-worker, sibling’s friend, friend’s sibling, ex’s friend, friend’s ex, mail carrier, or anyone else you’re likely to bump into often. Do have one on vacation or a business trip, but only if you don’t have someone waiting at home for you.

2. Make sure the fleeting nature of the encounter is mutual; if you think the other person foresees a beautiful relationship developing, abort mission. In the right kind of environment, you might even be able to say, with a cheeky grin, “Let’s have sex and never see each other again.” If not, you’ll just have to intuit things.

3. That said, once mutual casual interest is established, no need to harp on the issue (for example, with a post-climax “So just to confirm, I can go now, right?”).

4. Keep the emotional baggage light and the mood breezy: Don’t talk about family, exes, therapy, or love. And no candle-light.

5. But just because you may not care to see each other again, you still need to care about each other’s safety. Talk about your sexual history and health: “By the way, I have HPV” won’t be so difficult to admit when you’ve only got a fling to lose. And condoms, of course, are a must! Read on >>