Men You Should Be Suspicious Of

By Andrea Madison

How to know which men you should be suspicious of

Do you feel a pang of jealousy every time she heads out with her long-time guy friend? Or do you find yourself worrying that her cubicle is just a little too close to that handsome coworker of hers?

I certainly understand the inclination to feel protective of your woman. Being a guy yourself, you are all too familiar with man's predatory nature. So how do you distinguish between the dogs who are really out for your girl and those whose ill intentions are the product of your distorted imagination?

There's no single hard-and-fast rule, but there are certain guys you should be wary of, and certain guys you generally needn't stress over. The list below should clarify which men you should and shouldn’t be suspicious of. Remember: These are only guidelines, but they should give you a pretty good idea of when you should be on guard and when you can sleep easy at night.

1- The ex Who is he?

He has dated your girl in the past, but they managed to stay friends; or he’s an ex who has recently come back into her life. The ex is someone who has had a long, intimate history with your woman.

Should you be suspicious? Yes. People tend to look at the past through rose-colored glasses. So when the ex and your woman remember their past together, they may forget some of the reasons things didn’t work out. And, generally speaking, it’s easier to be intimate with someone you’ve already been with, so do keep an eye out. (Note: Just because exes in general can pose a threat, it doesn’t necessarily mean that hers does. Watch out for specific evidence before

panicking.)

2- The long-time friend Who is he?

He went to primary or high school with your woman, or maybe they were neighbors growing up. Either way, they’ve been friends forever and they know each other inside out.

Should you be suspicious? No. While the long-time friend may have a history with your woman, it has never been an intimate relationship. And if they’ve been friends all this time and never been together, it’s probably for a reason. One or both of them probably decided that it just wouldn’t work. So unless you have specific evidence that there is a romantic interest there, you probably have nothing to worry about.

3- The new friend Who is he?

He met your woman in an art or dance class. Or maybe they go jogging together. He's the guy who only recently came into her life and they’re spending an awful lot of time together.

Should you be suspicious? Yes. Make a mental note of his body language: Is he touchy-feely with her? Does he flirt generally? If they only recently met and are spending lots of time together (without you!), chances are he is going for the goal. Be on guard.

4- The coworker Who is he? They eat lunch and take their breaks together. They always seem to be working on that deadline together. They’re not only coworkers; they also seem to have a good rapport.

Should you be suspicious? Yes. Sitting next to each other at work doesn’t necessarily lead to temptation, but if two people get along well, spending all day together can certainly nurture the connection. Instead of being jealous of all male coworkers, just note if she seems to be spending all her time with one coworker in particular, talking to and about him -- only then will you have a valid reason to be suspicious.

5- The gay friend Who is he? They shop together, gossip and completely exclude you.

Should you be suspicious? No. You might be jealous of the time they spend together, but this is not the time to let your green-eyed monster show. Instead of worrying whether he’s gay or not, whether he might hit on her or that he’s taking too much of her time, befriend him and get him to like you. Like it or not, this man has a lot of influence over your woman. The chances of him making a pass at her? Slim to none.

6- The teacher Who is he? He is the yoga teacher who has taken a special interest in her spiritual growth, or her tennis teacher who has offered to give her free private lessons to brush up on her serve.

Should you be suspicious? Yes. She probably thinks he is being kind and has simply taken interest in her as a student. But you know better; most men would not give their time without an agenda, so be protective and on the defense.

keep your eyes peeled

Next time she heads out with her long-time friend, relax. By now you should have a pretty good idea of what kind of man you should be watching out for and what kind of guy is harmless to your relationship. After all, isn’t it better to save your jealous temper for when it’s really needed?