“By teaching you how to behave around women?” I asked incredulously.
“I guess so,” he nodded. “I’ve been living on campus for almost four years now, and I haven’t seemed to make much progress. I’ve dated here and there, but it always ends after a couple of dates.
“And forget about taking things to the next level. I’ve never managed to get any of the girls I’ve dated to sleep with me. So, I was hoping that you could give me some advice, a couple of pointers that will help me…take things to the next level with a woman.”
“Let me just clarify something first,” I said. “Are you looking to have a relationship with a woman or are you looking to get laid? Because those are two very different goals.”
“I’m aware,” he nodded. “And the truth is, either one is fine by me.”
I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. I wanted to linger a little longer on the “hot” reputation I had apparently earned for myself, but I decided that I needed to at least feign maturity in this particular scenario. But I was secretly pleased to know I was the resident hot professor on campus. I made a mental note to tell Sophie about that. She would get a kick out of it, and I would get a chance to gloat a little.
“Have you had many girlfriends?” I asked, trying to get an idea of the kind of guy Jason really was. He struck me as a little odd, but at the moment, I couldn’t see why it was so hard for him to meet a girl.
“I had a girlfriend in high school,” he admitted. “We broke up during my freshman year in college.”
“Why?”
“She moved to England for her degree,” he replied. “The distance broke us up.”
“Fair enough,” I nodded. “And since then…”
“Nothing,” he admitted. “And, I’d like that to change. I’m desperate.”
“Maybe that’s the problem.”
“What is?” Jason asked, leaning in a little.
“Women have a sixth sense about these things,” I told him. “The women you approach probably sense your desperation, and trust me, there’s no bigger turn-off.”
“How do I change that?”
“Hide it under confidence,” I said.
“I try,” Jason insisted. “I only end up scaring them all away.”
I did my best to hide the smile on my face. “Coming on too strong shouldn’t be confused with confidence. You need to be polite and respectful. You need to express interest without being so persistent that you end up freaking the girl out.”
Jason bit his lip, and I knew that he had probably freaked a few girls out that way. “So, what do you suggest?”
“Is there a girl you like at the moment?” I asked.
“Yes,” he replied immediately. “I picked her because I knew she would be achievable, too.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Excuse me?” I said. “What do you mean by that?”
“Well, she’s not the hottest girl in the room, if you know what I mean,” Jason said, giving me a wink I didn’t appreciate. “She’s pretty, but she’s pretty in a plain sort of way.”
“And, you thought because guys weren’t lining up for her that you’d stand a chance?”
“Yeah.”
I suppressed a sigh and leaned back in my seat. I had already lost patience with this conversation and with Jason. But I decided to see it through and then get him the hell out of my office.
“If you’re just pursuing this girl because you think you can’t get anyone better, then maybe you should consider another girl,” I told him. “Pick a girl you actually like and treat her with respect; chances are, she’ll give you a shot. Every woman likes to
feel she’s special. Even if what she’s after is meaningless sex, she’s less likely to sleep with you if she doesn’t feel respected.”
He nodded, but I wasn’t sure if he truly understood what I was telling him.