Sisters, beware! Are you really 'the one'—or just one of many?

YOU may not know this, but when it comes to love, sex and relationships, the typical Brother is an intuitive cast director who knows what role, if any, that you will play in his life long before you do.

To put it bluntly, there are women men will want to marry and there are women they will want to have fun (and sex) with, but not make a commitment to. And a major part of the Brother's plan is making sure that you don't know what he knows, especially if his intentions are not on the up-and-up.

"The trademark of a woman we would consider marriage material is one who looks good and indicates that she is nurturing, nice and will pay attention to our needs," explains relationship coach Darryl James, author of Bridging the Black Gender Gap, Volume I. "The trademark of a one-night-stand--or a woman you just mess around with--is a woman who is not that smart and has a bad attitude. You don't see anything internally that you're interested in; but if she's gorgeous, you're only interested in having sex with her and moving on."

Needless to say, men are quite adept at keeping their true intentions hidden, but, relationship counselors say, he will leave clues, little telltale signs that may indicate exactly what's on his mind and in his heart.

On these pages, relationship experts and everyday Sisters and Brothers tell how a woman can determine if a Brother she is dating is serious about her, or if he's just wasting her time while he waits for his true love to come along.

WHAT MR. RIGHT DOES: He introduces you to his mother (and/or his closest friends).

WHAT THIS MEANS: You're very special to him.

Meeting a man's mother is a relationship rite of passage reserved for the serious candidates only, says Chicago relationship therapist George Smith, Ph.D.

"A man wants you to meet his mother because he feels you're the one," Dr. Smith explains. "Men know that when they bring a woman home, their mother is going to quiz her and tell her all their little secrets, so only the special ones get to meet mom."

RED FLAG: A man may avoid introducing you to his mother, or his closest friends and family members if he's not seriously pursuing a long-term relationship with you.

"I have to really, really like a woman before I bring her home to meet my mom," says Richard of Long Beach, Calif. "And before she meets my morn, she has to meet my aunt first. If my aunt gives her the thumbs up, then she can meet my room. The only woman who ever made it to the second-round interview is now my fiancee."

WHAT MR. RIGHT DOES: He throws away his "little black book" and wants to spend all of his time with you.

WHAT THIS MEANS: He wants an exclusive relationship. When you met your man, he may have been juggling other women on the side. He may not have been a womanizer, just a single man who was keeping his options open until he met Ms. Right.

"You may not even know that these other women were in his life" says relationship therapist Charles Richards, author of Karmic Relationships. "But he will quickly cut them loose. That is the first thing that he does when he's getting serious about you."

Author Darryl James agrees. "You can tell how much a man is into you by how much time he spends with you. If he's trying to spend every available moment that he has with you, that means that he's trying to create something with you. He'll do whatever it takes to let you know you're No. 1."

RED FLAG: If he's still dating others, or if he indicates that you're near the top of a short list of candidates for his hand in marriage, you should guard your heart, advises David of Birmingham.

"If a man is not interested in a relationship, he'll tell you that, but the problem is that most women don't want to listen," argues the 34-year-old construction worker. "I don't want a wife right now, but I do enjoy being in the company of women, and I tell women this. But time and time again, women pretend to agree that we're just having a good time, but in truth she wants me to be her man. When I refuse to get involved on that level she's gets hurt."

WHAT MR. RIGHT DOES: He will not pursue sex immediately.

WHAT THIS MEANS: Although he may be wildly attracted to you, he thinks enough of you to take the time to get to know you on a deeper level. "A man who is seriously pursuing you wants to learn about you," says Dr. George Smith of Chicago. "He wants to spend time with you outside of the bedroom. He wants to experience all kinds of activities with you--going out for dinner, spending a night at the movies, hanging out with his friends, etc. He wants to take you places because he wants to show you off. He plans his weekends and vacations with you in mind."

RED FLAG: You only see him during the off-peak hours--and most often in the bedroom.

Bridget of New Jersey had been dating a co-worker for more than a year, although the only "quality time" they spent together was when he dropped by her place after he hung out with his homeboys. After celebrating her 30th birthday alone, Bridget decided to confront her man about being the last one on his list.