Page 12 of Confessions of a Virgin on a Dating App
“Avery?”
It was more of a question than a greeting. But as the crowd parted and I caught a glimpse of the blonde-haired boy standing next to the bar, my heart did a happy flip in my chest.
Even in the dim light of the pub, I could tell he was gorgeous. He was tall and tan, with remarkablyblue eyes and waves of golden blonde hair. He wore a loose, collared button-down shirt and a pair of jeans—not too casual, not too formal.
He must’ve also been pleased by my appearance, because he immediately broke into a grin. His teeth were impossibly straight and white.
We exchanged a quick, friendly side hug before settling at the bar. We made awkward small talk for a few minutes, until we realized it was far too loud to hear each other and Tristan suggested we head outside.
“Sounds great,” I agreed.
I slid off my barstool and walked toward the patio when I felt a brief brush of fingers against my spine. A warm, happy jolt of electricity ran up my stomach.
I loved when guys did that, ushering me along with a gentle hand on my back. And unlike my date with Anthony, I felt the sparks immediately.
As we took a seat at a metal table outside, I hoped that the conversation would match up to the physical attraction.
And thankfully, it did. After the first few awkward minutes, our conversation began to flow. It started with superficial topics—hobbies, pop culture references, favorite things. He asked me what I liked for video games, and I answered that I bounced around, but my favorites were farming sims and MMOs.
That made Tristan’s face light up, because it turned out he was a big World of Warcraft player. That resulted in a twenty-minute conversation comparing different races, classes, and builds, although it was obvious that my knowledge of the game paled in comparison to his.
About an hour into the date, we began discussing our personal lives. I told him I was from a small town in the Florida panhandle, that I had two younger brothers, and that my birthday was July 18.
Tristan was twenty-nine years old. He was born in California, but his parents decided to switch coasts when he was five. He had a younger sister and a younger brother, both of which were teenagers who still lived at home.
Tristan also had a pet, an adorable, vaguely-hound-looking mutt that he happily showed me photos of on his phone. His birthday was November 24, which he said he enjoyed because it was always on or near Thanksgiving.
Unfortunately, this brought up more family talk, which left me in a bind. I didn’t like to discuss my parents or my brothers, who I saw little of and had spent the past five years trying to flee from. But being there with Tristan set a tiny spark of hope in my heart. I couldn’t tell if he was religious, but he seemed like a sweet, stable guy who my parents would approve of. Maybe trips home would be easier with a boyfriend to serve as a buffer.
But eventually, the conversation swung back around to hobbies, and Tristan eagerly asked me about Critical Games. I explained to him how theCreatures & Crypts TCGworked, and what sort of decks I liked to play. He seemed eager to learn, and he asked if I could take him with me sometime.
I said of course, and I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks. But I broke out in giggles when I realized he was blushing, too.
“Do you play the regularCreatures & Crypts?” he asked. “The roleplaying game?”
“I used to all the time,” I replied. Critical Games hosted a bunch of sessions on Sunday afternoons. “But then work got too crazy. Still, it’s something I want to play more of.”
“That’s great!” Tristan grinned. “I have a friend group that plays on Wednesday nights. We alternate houses, but we always have plenty of snacks and beer. You should join ussometime.”
“Sure!”
I realized I may have said that too enthusiastically. More blushes on both sides.
The conversation continued. Nervousness melted away into comfort, and the hours ticked away until I realized it was nearly 10 p.m.
I chuckled. Four hours had passed in the blink of an eye.
That was a wonderful sign.
But Tristan had to leave since he had a family commitment early the next morning. The thought of saying goodbye sent shudders of anticipation down my spine. Not just because I was sad to see him go, but because I didn’t know if he’d try to get physical.
I wasn’t opposed to a kiss on the first date, but I hadn’t met a guy that I liked enough to do it. But I could feel my attraction to Tristan pulsing through my whole body, setting off sparks in my nervous system and making my heart hammer in my ears. I decided I’d let him take the lead, but if he did try to kiss me, I certainly wouldn’t object.
And sure enough, in the parking lot as he led me to my car, he did. I was nothing more than a simple peck on the lips, securing our attraction to one another without taking things too far. But it still made me feel like I’d just downed a bottle of wine.
Our grins spread wide across our faces as we said goodbye, and I hopped into my car feeling light as a cloud.
Before I’d even made it home, Tristan texted me about a second date.
