”Met” a guy through online dating a few weeks ago. We messaged for a while before arranging to meet.
The first date was really fun, I had a couple of glasses of wine and came away feeling happy and like I’d be interested in seeing where things went.
Second date, we went out for the evening, dinner etc. It was nice but I found he was a little bit more intense, big compliments “you are perfect” “can’t take my eyes off of you” etc. Then toward the end of the date he said something about wanting to kiss me. I told him that I really wanted to take things slow and he said he understood that.
Third date was a casual breakfast date. Again the compliments about me being perfect were thrown around and I just brushed it off. We headed into shops after breakfast as it was raining and he was offering to buy me new clothes, which I thanked him for but refused.
Since then we have been messaging, he’s keen to meet again but I’m finding it all a bit much if I’m honest. I get voice or video notes from him, and the compliments are pretty constant. Also things like “Ive never met anyone I can talk to like I do with you”.
I am an attractive woman, but I’m certainly not perfect in anyway, and whilst compliments are nice I find them a bit disingenuous when it comes so often… I told him I find accepting compliments a bit awkward and his response was along the lines of “Ill keep complimenting you until you believe them”.
Theres other patterns of his behaviour that I find a bit “off” too. Like he seems to crave attention and validation a lot, and this seems to inform his hobbies and job, he also admitted to feeling a bit lost and lacking focus (though has a good job). He also never seems to mention seeing friends or anything. I actually feel like if I said to him “Lets spend the next week together” he’d drop everything to make it happen.
Hes also suggested that on Date 4… he really wants a kiss. It all just feels very forced.
is this love bombing? Or have I been so starved for affection in previous relationships that I don’t know how to receive kindness??