We’ve been on five dates. I’m 60, and she’s a 51-year-old nurse. She likes holding hands, hugs, and back rubs. She’s also told me outright that she doesn’t like kissing. I appreciated how easy she made it to understand where she stood. It took me a little longer to figure out where I stood.
She wants us to get more physical, and I find myself a little lost at the thought of doing that without a good, long kiss. I like holding her hand. I like the feeling of her pulling me in for a hug. There’s a moment, though, when I’d usually want to lean in and stay there a while. Now I notice that moment because I know she’d rather do something else.
I’d never given kissing enough thought to put it on a list of things I wanted in a relationship. If you’d asked, I probably would have said of course I liked it and moved on to the next question. Now I’m thinking about how much I enjoy making out, even on an evening when that’s as far as anything goes.
It feels odd to say I might stop seeing a woman after five dates because she doesn’t like to kiss. She’s been clear about what feels good to her, and there’s a lot I like about being close to her. Still, when I picture us getting more physical, I keep coming back to the part I’d miss. I’m starting to think it might be enough for me to walk away.
