4 Things that Make Your Man Panic during Sex. Part II

2. You give him old-flame flashbacks

There are many things that are nice to share with your partner in bed--fantasize, back rubs, new sexual techniques--but not detailed stories about previous lovers. "One time I was fooling around with my girlfriend and she started describing what she and her ex-boyfriend used to do, what the guy's body looked like, and the fact that he had her name tattooed on his butt," recalls Jeremy, 36, a computer graphics artist. "Those were things I just didn't want to know about and it really upset me." Even if you're not necessarily comparing your current beau to your ex, he can't help but instantly conjure up an image of you with someone else, and in his mind, that other guy will always be bigger, brawnier, better in bed, plus your ex was first to be with you.

So how do you know how much of your sexual past to spill to your current date? One expert suggests this rule of thumb: "Instead of confiding in guys like they're your best friends, talk to them like they're your parents. Tell your man as much as you'd tell your mom or dad. Like your current beau, your folks assume you've had a few partners, but they don't really care to think about it or sit down and hear all the gory details."

3. You do the bathroom disappearing act

Whether it's just for a splash or a slip of a diaphragm, women often bolt for the bathroom just before getting cozy with their partners. But what they see as maintenance, men may find as another mood-buster. "On my first date with Lindsay, she excused herself to go to the bathroom as we were starting to get hot and heavy," remembers Melvin, 38, a tennis instructor. "I waited patiently and even browsed through a magazine. But I began wondering what on earth she was doing in there! I thought maybe she had slipped and hurt herself. Finally, 15 minutes later, Lindsay emerged, acting as if nothing had happened. But by that time all kinds of weird scenarios had already played out in my mind, and I wasn't in the mood anymore."

So to keep him from imagining the worst, like thinking that you're throwing up in disgust or applying genital-wart cream, try to keep your prep time to a minimum. Or, at least give the guy an idea of what you're doing in there to put his mind at ease.

4. You do a Linda Blair

Remember Linda Blair? She starred in the 1973 mega-hit horror thriller The Exorcist as the possessed victim, a lovely and innocent-looking teenager who suddenly spewed vile and horrific language in a voice coming straight from hell. Well, maybe this is stretching the comparison a bit far, but if you're fooling, around with your guy and you unexpectedly say, "C'mon, give it to me right now!" in a fake, husky voice, he may feel unnerved instead of turned on, because it came from nowhere. A Linda Blair voice emerging during sex can make his head spin, so beware: What you think may sound titillating may sound terrifying to his tender temperament. "Aside from the altered voice, there is also dirty talk," says one psychologist. "Of course some men like it, but this can make others, especially the more reserved guys, very nervous." The key to turning him on without making him run for cover? Start slow. See first how he reacts to R-rated chat, like, "God, I want you bad." If he's obviously into it or responds in kind, then that's the time you up the amorous ante with more explicit pronouncements!