So many cynics in here, and I used to think that I was the most cynical bastard alive.
People meet and find meaningful connections of so many kinds and on so many levels with others in the strangest of places, and life is way too short to categorically limit yourself regarding who you might find a connection with. Obviously, the lines can (and often enough do) become quite blurred when it comes to escorts, as the inherently intimate nature of the profession can make things lean in that direction.
Certainly the 'lines' should be respected as best as possible, but sometimes those connections, whatever level they may reach and so long as they are mutually felt and returned, need not necessarily be ignored or disregarded simply because of the job.
That all having been said, expectations need to stay REALISTIC! Escorting is a JOB, and the physical intimacy associated with the job DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY EQUATE to emotional intimacy! We as punters should never allow ourselves to think that we could be 'the lucky one', and that the ladies we meet in this business might have or could develop any more than a casual interest in us beyond our punter/client interactions, let alone come to truly care about us-- although stranger things have happened!
I've been 'lucky enough' to have had some friendly interactions with a few ladies beyond or outside of the typical punter/client paradigm, but I never put any expectations on the lady or make any presumptions about things leading to some kind of 'happily ever after'... The 'friendship' and kindness I have been lucky enough to receive from those few ladies has been given 'freely' by them, with no expectations put back onto me for something in return. I'm not even in Ireland anymore, so it's not as if they're being nice and keeping contact simply to retain me as a potential repeat client.
I've been able to meet some very interesting people, whom I truly feel lucky to have as even a small part of my life. That 'connection', at the very least, is 'free'.