Romantic feelings don’t read books.
They do not follow a code of conduct or know when to show up and when not to.
Sometimes, they show up under the right circumstances, but other times, they just appear out of the blue for the least expected people.
You would think that if someone is married, they shouldn’t be a candidate for romance from another person, right?
Well, in a perfect world, maybe that could work.
But our world is far from perfect.
A married woman can be liked by a man who isn’t her husband.
A single man can also like her.
How do you know a single man likes a married woman?
12 Surefire Signs A Single Man Likes A Married Woman
1. He thinks about her often
One of the most precise ways to know that a single man likes a married woman or any woman at all, is that he thinks about her a lot.
Our minds work with our hearts; if we have affectionate feelings towards someone, our minds generally rest on them for a long time.
So if the guy thinks about this woman and talks about her a lot, you know what that means.
It may even progress to him dreaming about her because sometimes our dreams reflect our most dominant thoughts.
2. Increased attention
This is a no-brainer.
When a single guy likes a married woman, he gives her much attention.
He listens to her regardless of how long she wants to talk.
He always wants to talk with her and desires extended conversations, even late into the night.
He may confide in her and tell her his deepest secrets.
Phone calls become very frequent, and he often visits and engages her social media pages.
3. Compliments
There is hardly anyone who does not compliment the people that they like.
When you like someone, you want to let them know that they are special to you and amplify the beautiful things about them.
A single guy in love with a married woman will shower her with many compliments.
Letting her know how beautiful she is, praising her intelligence, personality, looks, etc.
These compliments may be friendly and normal, or they can become excessive and go beyond what is considered normal.
The compliments may become personal or sexual, especially when they are welcome.
4. Jealousy
Jealousy is seen when someone loves another person, but it’s a bit weird in this case.
This is because the single guy is jealous of the legitimate partner, the woman’s husband.
He may get upset or feel uncomfortable when she talks about her spouse or spends time with him.
He doesn’t want to hear her talk about him; he just feels generally unhappy about the husband’s presence.
5. He always wants her around
You can tell a single guy likes a married woman when he always wants to be around her.
It sure has gone beyond a mere friendly feeling when he always wants to see her or wants to be with her.
If they’re in a group setting, he actively seeks her out until his eyes find her and feast on her.
He always tries to be close to her or involved in whatever she’s doing.
This guy can get involved in anything as long as she’s present.
6. He wishes she weren’t married
If, as a married woman, a single guy tells you that he wishes you weren’t married, what would you think?
Exactly.
If a single guy acts in ways or even verbally expresses that he wishes she were not married, that says a lot.
His feelings for her are strong, and he sees her marital status as a hindrance he wishes did not exist.
7. Personal interest
A perfect sign that a single guy likes a married woman is that he gets very interested in her.
He takes an intense, personal interest in matters that concern her and shows genuine concern for her well-being.
He cares about her emotions, feelings, and welfare and generally wants to take care of her even though that is not his responsibility.
He asks her personal questions and wants to be involved in her life, even in matters that ordinarily really shouldn’t concern him.
You may find him going out of his way to support her and make her feel happy.
He may also shower her with presents and favors beyond what is required for a platonic friendship, especially with a married person.
8. He stops being drawn to fellow single ladies 
Another way to know that a single guy likes a married woman is when his affinity to single ladies diminishes.
His emotions are channeled towards the married woman, and he has nothing left for the single ladies.
If the married woman is not giving him the desired attention, instead of focusing on other options like single ladies, he will become sad.
He may even express feelings of dissatisfaction and loneliness with his love life.
9. Finding excuses to spend time together
She’s married, so of course, she is not likely to be always available.
But the single guy will often seek ways to get her time and attention.
He will create scenarios and opportunities to meet and hang out with her.
He will suggest outings, events, or even work; anything can be brought up so that they get to spend time together and he gets to be alone with her.
10. Physical contact
This is almost always present.
It may be subtle, or it may not be so subtle.
Depending on his level of audacity, he may begin to seek physical contact by touching her affectionately and holding her.
These advances may be inappropriate and unwanted because they may be crossing physical boundaries.
If the woman notices this, it is her cue to set firmer boundaries because if she doubts all the previous signs, this sign should be the last straw that breaks the proverbial camel’s back.
I mean, when someone is already trying to touch you in certain ways, do you still need a soothsayer to help you read the signs?
Whether it’s as subtle as a shoulder or arm touch or as personal as a hug or holding on the waist, it should be stopped the moment it is noticed.
11. Overly protective behavior
Sometimes, you may notice an overly protective behavior from the single guy.
He begins to do the most to care for the married woman and makes it his job to protect her.
If she ever mentions that she is being disturbed by something or someone, he goes into full Superman mode, ready to be her knight in shining armor.
If she unfortunately has issues with her husband in this period, the single guy is more than ready to open his arms to her and take care of her.
12. Excessive teasing or joking
Guys like to make the woman they love laugh.
That can be a sign if he’s making excessive jokes and teasing her frequently.
It can start as harmless jokes and progress into playful, flirty ones.
Once this is noticed, you have a sign.
Final words
At the end of the day, people express love in different ways.
Different signs can be seen depending on the individuals involved and the unique situation, but the signs above are the most classical.
Although these signs are very definite, don’t take my word for it without doing your observing and probing.
People do things for various reasons, so to avoid wrong interpretations and jumping to conclusions, don’t make a definite conclusion by these signs yet.
Assumption is the least form of knowledge, so I’ll encourage you to ask questions and establish firm boundaries that clarify your stance.