What should you keep in mind if you’re lusting after forbidden office fruit?

Big brother. Make no mistake, he’s watching and listening and reading your emails. Don’t get caught with your pants down (literally or metaphorically) by indulging in sappy email exchanges, hot phone sex, or coupling in the back of the company van. Remember: Management likes to think it owns you—and your hormones.

Don’t bang the boss. From arbitrary firings to rumors of favoritism to unofficially becoming the indentured office servant, sex with the boss is usually a lose-lose proposition. If you find that you’re in the throes of a fatal boss attraction, consider transferring to another department or reconfiguring things so you’re not reporting directly to the person you’re sleeping with. Sure, power’s attractive, but so are eating and paying the mortgage.

• Been down this road before? Let others benefit from your experience! Post a story or comment here.

Your treacherous co-workers. Yes, they’re your lunch buddies, but let’s face it, they’re also a bunch of wretched gossips. Even your mates can screw things up by implying you’re too busy mooning over your new boy-toy down in Engineering to get your projects done on time. Imagine what they might do if they really wanted to mess with you. “Gee, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to broadcast that email you sent me about banging the new intern in the parking garage, really I didn’t.”

Sexual harassment hell. Sure, you’ve seen the video. Maybe you’ve even seen the movie. But you absolutely do not want to see the courtroom drama—with you in the starring role. Well, neither does anyone else out there, especially the guys. If you have your eye on a male co-worker, keep in mind that he is probably going to be very hesitant about making any kind of first move. It’s not just common sense, it’s the law.

Be discreet. If (or when) you do find yourself involved on the job, be discreet. And try to remember those all-important boundaries. Just because you’re having sex with someone doesn’t mean you own them. They have every right to flirt, fight, and have fun with their co-workers without you getting your nose out of joint. Save that for when they get that raise and you don’t.

Breaking up. Not to be a downer, but 1 of every 10 workers ends up having to leave their job because of an affair gone sour. And some go more sour than others. Spend at least two minutes (say, the amount of time it takes you to get undressed) thinking about the possible aftermath of your affair. Will the person you’re crushing on be a good-natured trouper if things don’t work out? Or will they ridicule you at staff meetings and sabotage your projects at every opportunity? If it’s the latter, then perhaps you should try fixing them up with the new girl who’s been eyeballing your promotion. Hey, what are co-workers for?