Or, his lover is very vocal and that’s enough for him? 
None of the above. Perhaps I just focus better than you two.
I can see how the imaginary might rise up occasionally, and as I said, when things weren’t going well they did. But all the time, or even the majority? Maybe I’m getting better sex than I thought.
Er, I’m female FWIW…
I’d think it a strange time to bring it up, but since the discussion about her appearance HAD been taking place earlier after all…I’d take it for a continuation of the same at a rather awkward moment, take the second bit for a compliment, and go merrily right along.
Now, if there had been no previous/recent discussion of New Chick At Work’s appearance, and this came out of the blue mid-intimacy, I’d probably lose all interest in further participation even if I didn’t actually physically get up and leave. If however the comment came up AFTERward, in the relaxation and cuddling stage, even if had never come up before, I wouldn’t mind. I would already have ample evidence that yes, he really would prefer to be with me.
E. In my head, directed at co-worker: “Take that, bitch!” To him: “Prove it, studboy.” 
We’ve already established she’s physically attractive but personality-wise repulsive, and I would assume the I’d-rather-be-with-you part is 1) implied in that, and 2) already known. I don’t see the problem.
God, I can’t stop thinking about that hot girl at work. She is HOT. But it’s wrong of me to be thinking that - I have a girlfriend. I’m having sex with her right now! Man, I’m sleazy…I feel so guilty. I should say something to let her know I still like her. “That new chick at work is really hot, but I would much rather be with you.” There, that should make her feel better
There’s no reason to play dumb and take such a comment at face value - unless for some reason both parties were talking about the co-worker during sex, it reveals that the guy was thinking about the co-worker to the point where he felt he had re-assure the girlfriend of her status, ironically bringing it into question. Plus it clearly implies that the girlfriend is less attractive. Of course that’s hurtful.
[QUOTE=Misnomer]
Well, I know that I’m not really hot/QUOTE]Umm… yes you are.
As Alice The Goon said, I think the faux pas here is that it was said during sex. I don’t care what my intentions might be, I would never mention another woman’s name during sex; the posibilities for it to be taken the wrong way are innumerable.
I might say in casual or playful conversation that some actress was hot, but I’d never say that while having sex with my girlfriend, even if it was followed by, “but I’d rather sleep with you, honey.”
I can honestly say I have never thought about other women when having sex with my husband . . . . don’t ask me about other men though 
As far as the OP, I am glad I am gay, because a reaction other than A, or a humorous E would be way out of line, especially C.
So, how did your SO respond?
I agree with the “sounds like he was trying for a compliment which came out wrong due to drunkenness” crew.
C. Probably not a shock, given the way I phrased the answers.
Do women understand how incredibly annoying (and/or destructive) doing C is, anyway? They seem to do it pretty frequently, just wondering if they understand the implications.
When used seriously, it seems like it’d be poison to a relationship - something that went wrong that you’re both unhappy about and yet it’s brought up at every opportunity and won’t be forgiven and moved on from. And it’s exploited to push an agenda.
Also reduces the ability to resolve current issues if you don’t actually make an effort to resolve them because you feel like you can just use the trump card of a past event that you can’t get over to bypass argument and resolution.
Just seems like a bad idea all around. If there’s an issue to be resolved, resolve it. Don’t use it as ammo in continued malicious mental games.
Good lord, this happened 10 years ago and she’s still using it as ammunition in arguments?
[tongue in cheek] Man, I guess she gives really good head, 'cause there’s gotta be something keeping you there! [/tongue in cheek] :o
SenorBeef, I absolutely agree, and I’d like to expand the sentiment to include all the men who do the same thing. It’s completely destructive and petty and stupid.
E. Penis probably will no longer ensue that night, and I’d probably refuse to talk about it, brooding silently about it for a few days. Bitchiness might occur if he insists on “getting it out in the open” since I’m not the talk things through type. Then I’d get over it.
I know a lot of women who would pick C for…well, just about anything that pisses them off. My mom, for example, holds grudges like nobody’s business.
Good Lord. Stuff like this makes me glad I haven’t dated anyone in years. I’ll buy another pack of AAs rather than deal with men if this is how they think. Believe it or don’t, when I’m with another person they’re all I’m thinking about in that way. I can recognize the attractiveness, even the sexiness of another person, but it’s rather like looking at a painting. I was never even remotely tempted to ‘bone’ – er, get boned by, I suppose – someone else.
(not like my boyfriend of the time was that astounding, either…)
If it was a boyfriend, he’d be an ex by the next morning. I can’t imagine something like that happening, but if it did I would be hard-pressed to think of a reason to forgive and forget a comment like that. Irrational? Perhaps, but I’ll not have my self-esteem jabbed at by an insensitive moron like the hypothetical dick in this scenario.
And if it was my husband, well, it wouldn’t be, because he’d never do anything like that and ftr, neither would I.
What horrible timing. i wouldn’y even consider an off-hand ‘You’re way hotter than her’ as a real compliment, either, because he’s assuming that I’m so insecure I need to be assured of this.
There does seem to be a divide, though, between women seeing guys as ugly/hot based on their personalities (see: most actors) and guys seeing women as hot despite thier personalities or lack thereof. Rarely do I comment on how hot a guy is despite his asshole tendencies. Being a jerk just warps his features.
cough ColinFarrellJudeLawBradPitt cough
I agree to some extent, Cat Fight. A jerk is not attractive to me in that I am drawn to being with them sexually, no matter how good his bone structure. He might still be hot, however. I despise everything about Ashton Kutcher, based on what I’ve seen of the character he’s chosen to portray as himself on shows like* Punk’d*. But he’s still hot. I’m not attracted to him, but I can study his features like a Greek statue and admire their aesthetic beauty.
If I met them and they were jerks to me, or I observed them being a jerk first hand, then yeah, I probably wouldn’t find them attractive anymore (although Colin Farrell seems to make the “jerk” work itself around to “irrepressible scamp”, and that’s hawt). But since all I know of them is fourth hand from generally lousy reporters, I’m (luckily) not affected in that way.
I know this aligns with common knowledge, but I am not sure it is correct. Over the last year or so, I have spent about 8 weeks on Kauai. (Tough job, I know.) There are a lot of couples there honeymooning, getting married, getting engaged, etc. One thing I have noticed is that the couples are always well matched for looks. Every pretty woman with a guy is with a guy who is about as good looking. (I’ll admit that I’m less of an expert on guy.) I don’t think I’ve even seen a couple along the stereotype of rich,average looking older guy with hot younger woman.
There does seem to be a gender difference with the op. Like many of the guys posting here, if my wife said the same, drunk or not, it wouldn’t even occur to me to be hurt. Like many of the women, my wife would be hurt.