Help! Advice for a friend please

[librooks123]

My friend Rhonda has been seeing my friend Mark for almost 2 years. They spend all of their time together and are intimate (everything except actual sex). However, he's interested in dating (and sleeping with) other people, which he's done. He refuses to have sex with Rhonda because he doesn't want a relationship with her, but he cares about her and doesn't want to lose her friendship.

Rhonda and everyone else feels they're in a relationship because of how they are when they're together (he's very demonstrative and caring). Mark claims they are "just friends", and he doesn't feel "that way" about her, and he's told her that many times but she keeps pursuing him anyway. But then he makes out with her and spends all of his time with her! But then again, she's not stopping him either.

Any advice you can give either of them? Especially Rhonda? I think it's better to hear it from a stranger rather than a friend who is close to both of them.

Thank you!

[Gigabitch]

Rhonda might need to be whapped upside the head. She needs to wake up and smell the bullshit. Her own bullshit. How in the world has she convinced herself that she's in a relationship with this guy?

I'm sure she has her reasons. I expect she isn't ready for an intimate relationship and is willing to accept the affection she gets from Mark without having to put out for it, but this situation is weird, and for most people, would be incredibly hurtful.