5 Things Men (Really) Think About Sex

REALITY: There are a lot of different kinds of waiting, and our reaction is going to depend largely on what we think is behind the delay. If we think you're genuinely taking the time to get to know us before becoming intimate, we're often flattered by that and willing to hang in there for a while. We love the idea that you're choosy because it makes us feel amazing when you eventually do choose us. On the other hand, we're not idiots, and we'll disappear pretty quickly if we think you're simply stringing us along, seeing how many free dinners you can score before admitting the chemistry just isn't there for you. That may sound cynical, but every guy over the age of 25 has found himself dragged around by the nose at least once by a woman who wanted nothing more from us than a free meal. So the best way to keep us interested is to be truly interested yourself.

MYTH #5: One night stands never lead to happily ever after.

REALITY: Unlike you, most men don't spend our teen years fantasizing about finding and marrying Ms. Right. For us, choosing a life partner is as much about timing as it is about the woman. If we aren't ready personally or professionally for a long-term relationship, no connection is going to work out in the long run, whether you jump into bed with us right away or make us wait it out. On the other hand, if we're ready for commitment and we think you might be the right one, we won't be scared away by the timing of our first sexual encounter. That said, this is one myth that does have some roots in reality. One night stands often involve alcohol, and there's just no telling whether we'll feel the same chemistry with you once we've sobered up. Maybe this is why you rarely meet married couples whose "how we met" stories involve six Long Island ice teas and a mechanical bull.

In the end, the most important thing to remember is that life isn't like Hollywood. Carrie Bradshaw is a fictional character, and the behavior of the men in her life is sometimes as fantastical as her ability to afford Jimmy Choo shoes on a magazine writer's salary. Real-life men don't always conform to the Hollywood myth. We are flesh and blood just like you and that ain't so bad!