Fantasize about having sex with a close friend?

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Friends with benefits … to more?

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A survey from dating app Flirtini shows that about two-thirds of people say they dream about being intimate with a close friend.

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And while they were fantasizing, the 2,000 respondents also believe the attraction goes both ways.

Getting busy with a buddy

Nearly 60% of those surveyed admitted to actually having sex with a close friend.

For those who think feelings get in the way of that for women, 69% of female respondents insisted the sex was strictly casual, which isn’t too far off from the 80% of men who agree that sex between friends can stay just that — sex.

But for others, the emotional risk isn’t worth the risk of ripping apart  that bond because friendship, once broken, isn’t easily repaired. That’s enough to keep some people from crossing the line at all.

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Of course, there were those ready to throw caution with 32% of the men and 46% of the women believing their best friend wanted to sleep with them, too.

The real deal?

About half (51%) of respondents admitted that casual sex could evolve into a real relationship.

So what’s stopping them?

Well, there are those who, rightfully so, worried that sleeping with a friend would ruin the friendship, while about one in four said it actually brought them closer.

So what happens after sex between friends? What if one person wants more?

This is often the common outcome,” Charisse Cooke, psychotherapist and relationship expert, told the Toronto Sun of the questions that arise post-friendship sex.

“It’s useful to always return to the friendship,” she noted. “For example, saying ‘As your friend first and foremost, I have to share my feelings for you are becoming more romantic,’ or conversely, ‘As your friend, I want to be honest that I don’t feel us being more than friends.’”

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She also suggested a tension-breaking exercise called “Honesty Half Hour,” where two pals agree to speak with one another 100% honestly about having had sex and what they are feeling in the aftermath — without fear of judgment or criticism, and promising the outcome of the conversation will be positive and respectful.

Surprisingly, of those surveyed, it wasn’t a total dating disaster as 33% of men and 26% of women say it changed nothing about the friendship — sex happened but both were able to move on easily.

Regrets? There are a few

While 25% of men and 34% of women said it brought them closer, a small group of respondents indicated it led to dating, while 6% admitted that, post-sex, the friendship fell apart.

Then there are others — 24% of men and 31% of women — who won’t even take the risk for fear the bond wouldn’t survive that shift.

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That said, more than half of those surveyed — men and women — said they have no regrets having sex with a pal.

Only 5% of men and 14% of women say they wish it had never happened.

Then there are the nearly half of women and more than a third of men surveyed who revealed they have thought about a friend while having sex with someone else.

Beware of the selfish people

“It’s tricky because the purpose of relationships is to alleviate loneliness and enjoy familiarity and comfort, but there are signs to watch out for,” Cooke warned.

“You feel guilty for thinking about your friend that way, because you know you have no real romantic feelings for them. You’re more focused on your loneliness or skin-hunger, than the impact of having sex with your friend will have on them. You’re really interested in other people, but consider your friend as an easier option,” she listed.

So even if no boundaries have not been crossed, it does show that there can be a complicated attraction between friends.

So if you’ve ever wondered if a friend has thought about having sex with you, chances are it has crossed their mind.

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