I never knew the "rules of dating"  LOL... Nevermind the "Third Date Rule"...
The third date rule revisited
When is the right time to jump in the sack?

You've survived -- and rather enjoyed -- first date pasta with wine. Second date, the fireworks shot higher, louder and with more bravado than date No. 1. 

You've tested out the hand holding and, man, that felt pretty good. The kissing, also promising.  Now the two of you are happily spooning on the sofa.

It's Date-three-flick-night, warm-up mode for possible things ahead, and likely how Blockbuster reels in most of its cash.

With your bodies firmly pressed together, this could be the precursor to sex, should the temperature on the couch get hot enough.

Frequently referred to as the "Third Date Rule" -- a trend erected sometime between waiting until marriage for sex and the current desire to take the car out for a spin before buying it -- we take comfort in believing that, after three outings, we've swapped enough vital information to exchange bodily fluids.

"By the third date you have all your friends down your back asking 'how was it?'" offers Mariya Isayeva, events co-ordinator for dating company, FastLife.

"Three dates is actually quite a bit of time. It's the factor of the physical click; if it's not going to work, you may as well not waste your time."

Somehow knowing he loves cream-sauced rigatoni, she adores travel, and that you both have full sets of teeth is prerequisite enough for sex.

So what if you don't know his last name? There's dizzying chemistry and you want to rip your clothes off already!

According to a new FastLife study, a combined total of almost 20% of men and women embark on the third-date ritual. Meanwhile 24% of women and 22% of men say they get between-the-sheets at the two-week mark.

Recently, a good friend tried something new.  Perhaps because her last attempts at snagging a compatible mate have fizzled, she skipped stripping down too quickly with her latest find.

"Haven't tested the goods yet," the 36-year-old laughs.  "I am doing things differently this time."

So date three came and went. And the fourth. Then the fifth and sixth -- and still no action. After a string of sex-free dates, she began worrying.

The newly dating duo had planned a weekend getaway without yet having the first ritualistic sleepover.

No, she wasn't fretting about what to pack or how she'd fare in her little black bikini, but rather, what if the sex falls flat?  "It could be bad," she says, alarm rising in her voice.  "I haven't even copped a feel!"

She runs over her list of concerns: What if he's horrible? Or worse, she is? What if he doesn't enjoy foreplay or is incredibly small? Maybe they'll be so sexually incompatible they fumble about like awkward teenagers!

Perhaps that's why newbie couples jump right in -- too many what ifs.

It's like those grab bags you used to get at birthday parties as a kid; some of them rocked while others were stuffed with useless party favours like a 10-cent whistle and some crappy toy.

"We've been conditioned to try things out," Isayeva explains.

"Everything today comes with a free trial: You go to Holt Renfrew and try the face cream before you buy it. Three dates is soon enough because there are still no strings attached, but long enough that you don't feel like a slut."

It's true. No one wants to come off like a first-date floozy. But third date, well, that's a whole other story.

Reporting back after her brief reprieve, my pal was relieved. "I am definitely glad we waited," she says.

"It allows you to find out if you can have fun on other levels instead of just sitting on the couch, making out and waiting to have sex again." She makes a solid point.

Early on it's easy to slap on our game faces and play hard. Both parties seem so flawless, so full of hope and possibility. The first spat is nowhere to be seen and nasty habits, what nasty habits?

At this stage, everything's amazing.  Take off our clothes? Why the heck not?

Well, perhaps because that dizzying gleam could wear off.

After just a few meager outings, you can't be sure whether he's a wolf in sheep's clothing or she's someone you'll want kicking around the next morning.

It's a stage when revelations such as, "Oh, I didn't mention I have kids?" or "Yes, technically I'm still married, but we are separated," can still pop up and put a snag in a seemingly perfect union.

The point is, you're still skating on the surface -- and that surface is unrealistically smooth.

Yes, the unknown is a scary place.

So before jumping in the sack because it appears as though the glass slipper has finally found its way to your foot, you may want to snuggle up on the couch just a little bit longer.

After all, with all that build up, surely you'll want to see how the film ends, non?

- When a first sex encounter flops, don't fret: 72% of women and 62% of men say they'd go for seconds.

- More than 10% of guys and 9% of gals report having first-date sex.

- Less than 1% said they're saving themselves until marriage. (Source; FastLife study, 2007)

- Understand that third-date sex doesn't guarantee monogamy.

- Developing a deep connection usually takes longer than three dates.

- Before taking the plunge, get tested for STDs and ensure your partner has done the same.