Is it ever okay to date a pal's ex? Friendship code says steer clear of a bud's former flame. Cosmo investigates whether that's an antiquated idea.(COSMO NEWS)(Brief article)

When Denise Richards and Richie Sambora were photographed canoodling, tongues started wagging. But what got people talking wasn't that the two were sucking face in plain view--it was the fact that Denise is (make that was) close buds with Richie's soon-to-be ex-wife, Heather Locklear.

Denise, it appeared, had broken a cardinal rule of friendship: You don't mess with a pal's ex. Cosmo decided to ask experts if there are circumstances under which it's okay to move in on a friend's former love. The resounding response? No. "'Exes are always off-limits," says Susan Shapiro Barash, author of Tripping the Prom Queen. "Even if your friend dumped the guy, dating him undermines what female friendships are based on: loyalty and respect." And that's true whether they split five minutes ago or five years ago. "Being in love means you've shared intimate experiences, and time ...