Men with whom you shouldn’t even dance.
There are some men who can only be categorized in one way: inappropriate. Here are some basic criteria that can be applied to every situation.

• If he’s married to someone else, he’s inappropriate. Even if he and his wife “have an understanding” or “the marriage has been dead for years.” If it’s dead, why isn’t it buried?
• Anyone you have to excuse is inappropriate. If you ever hear yourself starting a sentence with the phrase, “You just don’t understand him,” stop seeing this man.
• Anyone who is a full generation younger than you is inappropriate, no matter how old a soul he has. If you don’t believe me, lock yourself in a room and play whatever kind of music he likes at top volume for three hours. Trust me, the attraction will pass.
• If he swears you’re the woman for him at any point during the first three dates, get a list of his old girlfriends and call them for a character reference. If he won’t give the list to you, move on.

Are there any romances left?
What’s left? Real romances. The kind that add to your life without either party spinning out of control. The kind where you build the relationship together, finding out what works for you and what doesn’t, and you have fun along the way. The kind that everyone says they want.

Reprinted from The Bitch in the Bedroom: Your Inner Bitch Guide to Men, Dating and Relationships. Published by Sourcebooks, 2006.

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