"Dirty" characters in an erotic scene?

I have a romance novel set in Pompeii. While they bathed, it wasn't always "clean." I think if you just don't make it a big deal, readers won't think anything of it. I wouldn't. And really, sex scenes where things aren't always "spiffed" are realistic and erotic, too, IMO. I say, don't sweat it!

If a person needs to bathe, oral might be the less appealing option; most people won't want their noses near areas of old, accumulated sweat, skin cells, and body secretions.

Plenty of people enjoy playtime without a shower. Some find post-workout sex very arousing in a carnal, animalistic way. Pheromone levels are high when sweat is left on the skin, and even though they're odorless, inhaling them can demonstrably increase libido.

Some people can carry wet wipes to quickly clean key areas if they're planning ahead for fun. Some people don't mind actual dirt, either. A microbiologist probably wouldn't recommend shoving anything covered in actual dirt into an orifice that's supposed to stay clean, but orifices can also produce secretions designed to self-clean. (This is also why it's a bad idea to try to clean orifices by squirting perfumed liquid into them, which can shove things deeper inside, irritate delicate skin, and upset the balance of beneficial bacteria within the self-regulating system).

There were times in human history when bathing was very rare, but people still reproduced. Some individuals might be horrified at the idea of intimacy without showering first, but I suspect most people wouldn't bat an eye.

Definitely depends on the motives of the characters, though. I'm currently reading an erotic novel about a prostitute in ancient Greek. Because of her "profession" and the time in which the story takes place, often the scenes involve "dirty" johns. Yes, it bothers me, but it is supposed to. The readers is supposed to dislike her clientele.

But, with that said, go with the flow. Sometimes "dirty" is good!

Sometimes, 'funky' is deeply, shockingly satisfying. There's a combo of a specific kind of musky sweat, motor oil, coffee, and good cologne that gets to me on a visceral level, and I've shamelessly used it in writing. Sex - no matter with whom, or how - can be really messy itself.

If you're talking about PW, I didn't flag it because, since all parties invloved stink, I don't think it would bother them. They're used to their own odor, and others', so yeah.

If you're not talking about it, sometimes the act is too involved to think about smell. Like you said, at the gym and such.

Augh, I have a serious problem with this. My characters live in a medieval fantasy world.

My solution so far as been "don't bring it up and the reader won't think about it". I mean, when I read about medieval sex, I don't think about how gross they are, so it seems natural to assume other readers do not as well.

Well there's the fact that the characters in a medeval or post apocalyptic world don't know any better. They don't feel dirty because they've been truly clean, except for a few times a month. People back then in real life had sex and probably never thought about the dirtiness or cleanliness standards of people that will be born hundreds of years after they die.

Edit: As for post gym workouts, the sweatiness is kind of the appeal. The bulging muscles, the panting hot breath, the fast heart rate, and the wet shirt that clings to a rapidly cooling body and hardening nipples.