Dear Coleen

DATE WITH HOT OLDER WOMAN SCARES ME

I’m a 21-year-old man and I don’t want to sound lame, but I’m about to go on a date with an older work colleague and feel a bit intimidated by it – or, more specifically, I feel intimidated by her!

We went away on a work trip recently and she basically pulled me in the bar, saying she’d fancied me for a while and was very flirty. Nothing happened that night – we both realised it would be unprofessional and want to keep anything away from work.

She’s very hot and very popular, and I was a bit surprised she chose me, as I’m not outgoing like she is.

I also have hardly any experience when it comes to relationships and I know she’ll have dated and slept with more people than I have!

How do I get over my nerves and avoid making an idiot of myself? I really like her.

Coleen says

You’re overthinking it and maybe even jumping ahead to

“relationship” when you haven’t even been out on a date yet.

There is an age gap and maybe this will turn out to be a no-strings, fun affair.

I think you have to stop playing it over in your mind and just go with it, and see how the date pans out and if there’s any chemistry there.

Look at it as a fun night out with an attractive woman and don’t go into it with any expectations at all. Maybe she chose you because you are different to her – opposites attract and all that.

Just bear in mind that you still have to work with each other, so if things don’t go well, you could be creating a potentially awkward situation that you have to deal with.

Good luck.