A kiss on the forehead would’ve been acceptable?

[Anonymous]

So I met this girl online and we matched. We talked for about a week and some change and bonded over healthcare. She (22) has aspirations to be a nurse and is in the beginning stages of pre nursing and I (23) am already an icu nurse. She said that me being in healthcare caught her eye but as she got to know me through talking she found me interesting. We decided to go out on a date to the arcade and then have dinner. With my past relationships and not seeing red flags when I should I wasn’t focused on making a move and instead kept my hands to myself and didn’t do anything but analyze how she is. Overall she had a good time and she drove over an hour to come to my area in Florida (she’s in Miami with crazy traffic and I’m from Fort Lauderdale). She gave me a hug and headed off for home. After the date she was questioning me as to why I played it cool and that I shouldn’t do that the next time. But she seemed stoic and I didn’t want to go for anything the first time meeting her to scare her off. She also is interested in my past relationships and says that at some point we are going to have to talk about it. She also said that I don’t have to be as nice or that a kiss on the forehead or something would’ve been great. Would this harm my chances.

[DishLady]

First of all, the girl drove out to see you... she's not being stoic. She wouldn't do that if she didn't like you. She was being a lady and waiting for you to initiate things with her.

Yes, a well-educated young lady would typically have been taught that if you're preparing to date someone in a serious manner you should know their past sexual history (to avoid catching any unwanted STD but also to get a better sense of how special you are to him, etc.). A guy who's basically a man-whore sleeping with EVERYONE is not a desirable sort of fellow for a nice young woman who is saving herself for the right guy.

Got it?

[Oliverlogan263]

Dude, that's a pretty tricky situation you've got there. On one hand, it sounds like the date went well overall and she seemed to have a good time. The fact that she drove all that way to see you is a pretty good sign too.

But it also sounds like she was kinda hoping you'd make a move, even if just something small like a forehead kiss. When you kept it super chill, it seems like that maybe left her feeling a little confused or disappointed.

As for the past relationships thing, I get wanting to be open and honest, but you might wanna tread carefully there. Bringing up exes on a first date can be kind of a turn-off, ya know? Save that stuff for a little down the line when you two have built more of a connection.

As for the next time, I'd say you don't necessarily have to go all in with the physical stuff, but a little more affection probably wouldn't hurt. A forehead kiss or even just holding her hand could go a long way. You don't wanna be too aggressive, but showing some romantic interest is important too.

The key is finding that right balance between being a gentleman and also making her feel desired. You don't want to scare her off, but you also don't wanna play it so cool that she thinks you're not into her. It's a delicate line to walk, dude.

My advice would be to just be aware of the signals she's giving you. If she seems to be hinting that she wants more physical contact, don't be afraid to oblige a little. But also don't force anything she's not comfortable with. Communicate, read the vibe, and go with the flow.

You've got a good thing going here, so don't overthink it too much. Just focus on having a great time together and letting things progress naturally. I'm sure you'll figure it out, man. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

The forehead?

You can do better than that.