Confessions of A Newly Reformed Flirt.

On Sunday, we had a spaghetti dinner. With great food (yes, I cooked) comes great conversation. Of course it doesn't help to add wine, Rize! playing in the background at one moment, and then a random sample of poetry.
'Chelle: Is it better have someone love you, treat you well and you never have sex or have someone treat you like crap, and you have the best sex ever?
Room goes quiet for half a sec. Then.
One person: Have the person love me and have sex with someone else on occasion.
Second person: Yea.
Me: I'm going for the sex.
Third Person: Me to.
Fourth Person: Sex.
Me: Right. You can talk to anyone all day. Hey all we have to do is make sure the bedroom is okay. You're an asshole if this person is loving you and you make a choice to cheat on them.
Conversation goes on for a while. Out of the blue
Fourth Person: 13 I'm not going to keep being an asshole.
Me: Opps.
Anyway, the conversation was lively, until it turned back to me. The conversation turned to flirting. I am often accused of being flirtatious. I know that I flirt, most things I do, people in the South consider flirting. Making eye contact, being attentive, actual listening, being courteous and complimentary is not flirting. I also see a vast difference between casual flirting with someone you know and you both know it's going no where, someone I don't know, but we both know it's going nowhere 'cuz it's been established in the conversation and flirting with someone for a desired result. I let people know I am happily involved with someone. I ain't going no where. So what's really wrong with flirting occasionally? The entire room SWORE it was DISRESPECTFUL to my partner. I on the other hand believe we have an adult relationship and they were speaking of disrespect in the venacular. Something neither of us practiced.
Well. I asked. Because I never want to do anything that could be considered questionable and could contribute to feeling of discomfort, insecurity or jealousy. I could walk the line and say they were right and wrong.
I will be an adult. They were right. While not in the venacular, it does not say anything especially positive about me or the relationship if I behave that way. It can be seen as a negative reflection upon me and perhaps the relationship, like maybe I'm not happy, another's perception that I may be available in a "sneaky way", or I have no regard for the person whom I say I love. And while it may be nothing to me, it may be everything to someone else. To that alone I say, I am not all that. I have to admit to the group of friends whom I shared food, drink and conversation. Damn, I was wrong and a bit off base. I hate it when that happens.