When your boyfriend finds out that you cheated on him, you’ll need to give him a little time to come to terms with it. Men and women see cheating a little differently. Women often blame themselves when men cheat on them. Men are more likely to blame you.

You can apologize all you want, but your boyfriend will need some time and space to come to terms with the fact that you cheated on him. It will take him a little longer to convince him that you really want him even though you’ve been cheated on. But why do you need this space?

1) Your pride is hurt and it takes time to heal. Even beyond hurt feelings and a potentially broken heart, hurt pride is hard on a man. Men need to feel that they are giving you everything you need. Despite the arrogance of most men, they need constant reassurance that you admire them. Cheating on him with another man doesn’t send that important signal. Give him some time to really remember all the ways you showed him your admiration during the relationship.

2) His heart is broken. By cheating on him you have hurt him deeply. Men may not put their feelings up their sleeves like some women do, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t deeply affected and hurt by the fact that you’ve cheated on them. He’ll need a little time to come to terms with the pain, and he doesn’t want you to see him cry. He will want to save face to some degree, so the time and space you give him will allow him that opportunity.

3) He needs time to sort out his emotions and decide if his love for you is strong enough to override his feelings of betrayal. Love can conquer many things but it has to be stronger than those things to be able to do it. This is something he must decide for himself, and he will not be able to decide if you are constantly confronting him not only with your desire to work things out, but also with your feelings of hurt and anger.

4) He needs a little taste of life without you. No matter how much he loves you or how much he thinks he wants to figure it out, if there is any doubt, being without your constant presence and reassurance in his life will be the deciding factor.