Whether you're in an LTR or newly dating, stoking the fires of lust is a total must. Yes, there are extravagant gestures and gifts and outings that are guaranteed to keep you both turned on, but there are also plenty of everyday things your partner will find sexy that won't break the bank and will still leave a lasting impression.
In the beginning of any romantic pairing, almost everything you do with a new partner is hot. Eating together? Hot. Going to the movies together and stealing kisses (or more) in the dark? Hot. Meeting each other's friends? Hot. Impromptu sleepovers? Very hot. Once you fall into a rhythm with a relationship, however, sometimes real life can get in the way. There's only so long you can live in a state of constant lust (and some manage better than others), but that doesn't mean you aren't still completely head over heels into your babe, even if you don't always show it every second of every day.
So here's where the effort comes in. And of course I mean effort in the sense that eating an ice cream sundae is effort, because this kind of effort is actually fun.
The following are 11 easy, everyday things to try out that your partner will (hopefully!) find incredibly sexy:
1Make Serious Eye Contact
It might seem silly, but connecting your gaze with your partner's is one biologically-proven way to make you feel more connected. There is a powerful link between long, penetrating looks and forming romantic bonds. One of the first studies on the subject by social psychologist Zick Rubin in 1970 found that platonic folks in conversation provide eye contact between 30 to 60 percent of the time, but couples who are in love look at each other 75 percent of the time. So if you're looking to amplify your bond, why not engage in some extra eye contact?
2A Hidden Love Note
Long live the love letter! With a beautiful history steeped in passion and intrigue, handwritten love notes are the perfect way to remind your beloved (in as great or as little detail as you please) that you're thinking about them...and what you want to do with them later. Bonus points if you can sneak said letter into a very surprising spot for them to discover at work.
3Make Them An Old-School Mixtape (Or Playlist)
If you were born before cassette tapes totally bit the dust, you know how much time and care went into making a real live mix tape that reflected exactly how you felt about someone in song. That said, an iTunes or Spotify mix can just as easily do the trick to give your babe all the aural sex that they can handle.
4Buy Them A New Sex Toy
It takes a tiny bit more effort and money than a few of the other suggestions on this list, but buying a sex toy that you know your partner has had their eye on lets them know they still get you hot and bothered. And if you can get one that doubles as gender-neutral jewelry? Even better.
5Make Their Favorite Home-Cooked Meal
For those who know the best way to their partner's heart is through their stomach, cooking a surprise meal is a definite "do." And it'll heat things up even more if your meal includes an aphrodisiac or two, like chocolate, avocados, or tomatoes, which all contain the chemical PEA, a surefire way to increase feelings of euphoria and pleasure.
6Read Them A Sexy Bedtime Story
Reading to your partner might not seem innately erotic, but that depends entirely on what you're reading. There's an endless stream of smart, steamy fiction, poetry and non-fiction out there to satisfy your skintellectual needs. So snuggle up in bed, on the couch, or wherever's most comfortable to listen — and maybe even re-enact a scene or two.
7Send Them A Well-Timed Sext
Sexting is an art. A well-crafted phrase and/or a seductive photo can go a long way to rev up your love life — especially when you and your partner are apart. If, however, you're kinda shy in the digital missives department, try a few tips from a sexting expert to get you going in the right direction.
8Give Them A Surprise Striptease
The striptease tends to be coded female, but it's just a seductive body reveal (with or without music) that can be naughty, playful, athletic, and pretty much anything you want it to be, regardless of your or your partner's gender. Even just taking off your clothes slowly in front of your partner can be incredibly arousing — and you don't have to have a dance background because c'mon, even a mega awkward striptease can be mega hot.
9Get A Pair of Concert Tickets
Presenting your partner with tickets to a concert, play, or movie is an ideal way to set anticipation in motion for a future night out together — especially if you score really good seats and leave extra time for a quickie before or after the show.
10Have A Makeout Session
When was the last time you had an old school makeout session without going straight into sex? If the answer is always, then you're already ahead of the curve. However, if you and your partner tend to kiss on the way to something more, try slowing it down and staying in the moment without planning your next move. Not only does it build tension, but it has been scientifically proven to enhance pair bonding.
11Make A True Love Confession
Maybe you say it all the time, and maybe you only save it for special occasions, but looking into your beloved's eyes and saying ILU helps solidify your partnership and remind your person how much you're into them. And what could be sexier than that?
