I know I do this sometimes. At the first sign of trouble I like to save face and eject. I am sure it's costing me quite a lot, I need to get over it.

I was out with another sedditor, in Santa Monica last night (a bit of a drive for me). We hit bar number three for the evening, it's really quite empty. Blew out the only female-dominated set in the place (HB6 HB6 HB5), turns out two of them run a spray tanning salon across the street.

ElectronPUA: "So is it true that certain ... bodily fluids ... can take off the spray tan?"

Said with a completely straight face.

The HB6 acted like she was thinking about what I said (seriously, she hasn't heard this before?). You see realization dawn on her and she actually acts embarrassed, turns back to the bartender.

Was actually a fairly soft blowout, they resumed conversation with the bartender and we ejected.

Anyway.... so we chat it up with a guy at the bar, when an HB6/HB8 pair takes seats down the way from us. I wait until they have their drinks and then open them with my Garter opener.

As I walk up between them I get a sense that they are open to me. They stop talking and look expectantly. A good sign. No obvious shields up... I personally feel like Santa Monica quiet bars (which this was) are way friendlier.

My garter opener is an opinion opener and a follow-up story. I was at my cousin's wedding, found myself involved in the garter belt toss... gap opened and the garter was either going to land on the floor at my feet or I was going to reach out and catch it. Is it bad luck for the garter to hit the ground? (women: yes) But isn't it a bit skeezy to catch your cousin's garter? (women: yes)

Not a great opionion opener, as there seems to be relatively little debate. BUT women seem to love talking about weddings, and there are often opportunities to tease the woman.

So after we discuss that I tell them the follow-up: that I had quickly stuffed the garter in my back pocket after catching it... and thought it got left in my hotel room in Colorado. "But I was at work 'yesterday' dealing with problems in lab, talking to co-workers, when I felt a lump in my back pocket." Guess what I pull out in front of them? Awkward!

Ok, so they typically laugh. Or act like it's not funny if they want to bust my balls.

In this case, HB8 is swiveled half-way to face her friend HB6, and they seem to enjoy my opener. I continue onward to my Pig opinion piece. I've talked about this before in my FR, but I ask whether they think pigs are cute - then show them some of my wildlife photography of Javelina (wild pigs) in Arizona. Allows me to work in my photography, which tends to rev their hamster.

About this time, HB8 makes a comment about how she jumped off facebook. She tells HB6 that "we both dropped our accounts."

I make a guess: "You and your boyfriend?"

HB8: "yeah"

Ok. So she has a boyfriend. If I'm enjoying the interaction I normally stick around, but I often turn down the sexual tension at this point. This time I didn't. She's being friendly, seems to be enjoying me, and hasn't told me to F-off. So I'm sticking around. After 7 minutes or so my wing comes in, starts to occupy the HB6. I begin giving positive kino to HB8 when she says things I approve of. She notices the escalation I think, rotates toward me more.

About 25 minutes into the conversation, I have my arm behind her and resting on her hip. I'm making sure to get sexual comments in there subtly every so often. When camping comes up and she says she can't really handle being dirty, I ask about the 1 inch camping pads. Tell her "they are actually fairly comfortable... for most activities." The last bit said with a slight smile, so she catches the innuendo.

HB8: "I've never done that in a tent."

I go about 3 sentences further, talking to HB6, but then fire off mid-sentence to HB8: "You should sometime, it's good fun." And then back to HB6. I visibly noticed HB8 squirm.

She seems to make an effort to tell me that she and her boyfriend are in a "compicated, sometimes-open relationship." And that while she was in England this year he pulled in a side girlfriend, which changed the rules for HB8. If I had given up when she mentioned a boyfriend, I wouldn't have gotten this far.

HB8: "But the rules are always changing, it's complicated. I'm never sure whether I can make out in a club, or..."

Clearly the game is on. But... shortly after her HB6 girlfriend (who also has a boyfriend) is shutting down my wing.

HB8 to HB6: "You need to leave soon?"

I see where this is going. I need to eject before they do, before they make the decision.

Me to wing: "You ready to bounce?"

Wing: "Yeah, lets head out"

HB8: "You guys are leaving?"

Me: "Yeah, moving on."

HB8: "Do you come up here often?"

Me: "Yeah, I get up here every week or two."

HB8 pauses, clearly wanting to ask for my number (or setting it up so I can ask for hers).

Me: "I'll give you my number, you can text me now to be sure it's correct."

Her: "OK!" She whips out her phone, I give her my full name and number, she texts me.

Her: "Call me, OK?"

Me: "Sure."

And we roll out.

A few flirty texts that evening, I was probing to see whether she was open to plans after her friend dropped her off (they were carpooling). Pretty sure she saw my offer and declined it (I wasn't that subtle), but she sent back a flirty text and told me she has a vehicle (I asked, as I may request she come down to me instead).

I'm going to wait a week, I don't want to be too available (she's under the impression that I date around a bit, which I do - don't want to be incongruous by fast availability).

TL;DR; Didn't bail when an HB8 in a little black dress said she had a BF. Petite college student with a tight body and a great face. Turns out it is a "complicated, semi-open" relationship, she's interested in something on the side. I saw the 2-set getting ready to leave and pre-empted them by by bouncing with my wing. HB8 set up a #-close, responded to initial texts. Will try to set something up next week.