Addendum

So I just got another text from the Work Marine.  He says "Night" and I reply back "G'nite J".  Then he texts "Do you really not respect me?"  And I reply "What?????" So he calls.

This afternoon, when I dropped by his desk to thank him for the offer of a power cord, two of his co-workers were there and they've worked on teams of mine. So all four of us are chatting.  One of them asks how I know "J". And I make a flippant reply..."well, how do I know you?" and he says, "hey, both of us were on teams of yours, but as far as we know "J" hasn't been on one of your teams.  And I laugh and say, "We met in the salad line in the cafeteria....is that a big deal?" and he says  "you never come to visit us..." The other guy replies...yes she does.  She makes a habit to wave or stop by".  But it's obvious that they want to assume that there's a relationship going on between me and the Work Marine.

THIS IS WHY I DON'T TINKLE IN MY POND PEOPLE!!!  NEVER DATE PEOPLE YOU WORK WITH!!!

So we're tossing out insults back and forth and I said that I only insult people I like.  He says well, you don't insult "J" and I said ..."That's because I don't respect him" as a joke (and right in front of "J").  Then I tap J on the shoulder and tell him that I'm just kidding. I did it to break the tension and let the other two know that J is on the same status as they are...someone I joke with...but don't date.  "J" of course totally misses the point (because he's got a damned crush on me) and thinks that I don't respect him, which is why he asked tonight.  So I had to explain the situation to him, and he says "Oh, I miss things like that.  You know you're right.  One of the other guys said that he'd totally dump his girlfriend for you".  I said "See?  This is why I don't date anyone in the work place".  To which he replied..."Well, I won't be working there forever and I won't be married for long".  

Why is it always the guys that you don't want that fall into your lap, and the guys you do want are so effing difficult and complicated???  It's my fault.  I'm too nice and I guess I need to be bitchier and abrupt about the way I feel....but then I think about if I was in that place (And God knows...I'VE BEEN THERE!!) how would I want to be treated?  So I try to be respectful and friendly, but just because I'm nice doesn't mean that there's a future for us!  And because the Work Marine works for a vendor, I need to be extremely careful that things don't get out of hand.  Jaysus...work just got that much more complicated!!!

I NEED SEX!  That will relieve my stress....Did I just say that out loud????