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Ask Ashley: His & her V-day gifting

I’ve been seeing this guy for a little over a month now. I like him a lot, but he wants to take things slow. I’m fine with that, but it’s no secret that Valentine’s Day is coming up. Can I get him a little something? And do I give it to him regardless of whether he gets or does anything for me?

Anonymous, Brooklyn

It’s always better to be prepared in this situation because if he gets you something, you’re going to feel like a schmuck if you don’t have something for him in return.

That said, I don’t think whatever material item you buy has to be for him exactly. Because let’s be honest here: For guys, Valentine’s Day is all about the sex. They don’t want presents. (We do.) They just want the poo-cha-cha — so give it up! Go out and buy a sexy piece of lingerie. Have the store wrap it up, bring it to dinner and voila! That’s his present. But only give it to him when (or if) he gives you something. When he opens his gift, say, “I thought we could take dessert home with us.”

Now, what happens, you ask, if he gets you something and it also happens to be lingerie? Well, double the pleasure, double the fun! Say something like, “Looks like we have dessert and breakfast covered!”

If he doesn’t acknowledge the holiday, then I’ll be damned if you get him anything! Not even a card. Take care of you, though, and treat yourself to a fun night out with other sorta-single ladies!

The girl I’m dating has bad breath. I see her brush, and she even has one of those electric toothbrushes. I love kissing her and especially love our pillow talk, but her breath is pretty bad and not only in the morning. How do I help her (and me!) so she’s not super embarrassed and it doesn’t completely kill the moment?

Anonymous, NYC

Oh, there is nothing worse than bad breath! It makes it so much harder to have uninterrupted hanky-panky in the morning!

I agree, this issue has to be handled delicately or you risk embarrassing her. I’m going to assume you’re still getting to know each other (otherwise you would have just come out and said something), which makes this even more awkward.

Unfortunately, until you feel comfortable enough to address it outright, I think your best bet is to “treat” it by involving yourself.

For example, if you’re sitting next to each other at a movie and you get a whiff, take out a mint for yourself and offer her one. She’ll likely take it because you’re sitting close to each other.

Same goes for when you’re in bed in the morning. Your breath is probably pretty fowl too, so suggest brushing together before getting intimate. I know it may break the mood a bit, but if you do it together, it’ll bring you closer, making it easier for you to one day come right out and say something if it doesn’t get better.

If you get to that point, go out and buy two of Dr. Steven Wieder’s TUNG Brush and Gel at Bed Bath & Beyond. I use mine twice, sometimes three times a day! Keep them at your house, so it’s not so obvious, and say, ‘I’ve heard these are amazing. Want to try?’ If she questions whether she has bad breath, just say ‘Yeah, but sometimes me too, so lets see if it helps!’

I’m sure she’ll be thankful for your finding solutions to this little problem — even if she’s unaware of your true motive. Wink, wink.