It's no wonder so many are doing it. For one thing, there is the proximity of it all. There may be half a dozen potential lovers sitting within 30 feet of your desk. Right now. For another, time is on the side of office lovers... The average person spends more waking hours with co-workers than with family or friends. Here are a few other contributing factors you should know about.

Common interests. If you're single, it's possible that you'll have more in common with a co-worker than anyone you're likely to meet at Club Med. If you're married and are heavily involved in your career, you may find you share more interests with your office mate than with your house mate.

Power is sexy. "People tend to be attracted to bosses, peers, anyone with positional power". "and it can even be the power to help and support, the power that comes from mentors."

People are looking their best. Because they're dressing to impress - not to sit in front of the tube -folks at work tend to look a lot better than the typical at-home lover or spouse.

Creative energy. The excitement of getting the merger off the ground or bringing a new product to market generated an atmosphere that lends itself to romance.

Emotional support. A co-worker may offer backing to help you through an office rivalry dilemma or impending project you're laboring to complete and it's easy to "sexualize" (translation: put in a sexual context) that support.

So when you fall in love with the person over the desk and are convinced that he or she is the perfect someone that you've spent years looking for, here's a question to ask yourself: Would I still like this person if he or she weren't head of my department, but were someone operating the elevator?