How Close is Too Close?

Remember how I mentioned that Parker's ex was still in his life? Remember how I said I was a little threatened by it, but he said he had no intention of getting back with her and that it made me feel better but I still couldn't help but be threatened? Yeah...

So - he's in a different country and our communication is very limited. We talk every so often and he tells me he is missing me which I appreciate so much, because I miss him too...and that makes me feel really special. These are all good things.

BUT, here's the bad thing I can't really get out of my head...I'm pretty sure he's talking to his ex too, which makes me feel unspecial. The only reason I suspect this is because she is looking after his dog, and I know that I would be in communication with the person looking after my dog - OR, if I were her and still had feelings for him (which woman's intuition tells me is the case, especially based on the specific details of their breakup story) I would be using the whole dog-thing as an excuse to talk to him while he's away too. (Good move, ex-gf, good move. If you weren't my competition, I would have mad respect for your tactics).

1. I mean first and foremost, she's watching his freakin' dog! Come on. That's kind of ridiculous, considering he has a roommate. But, okay, a dog is a living being that needs to be cared for and he knows she cares second only to him at thins point, so I get it from a "parental perspective." (If this continues to happen once he and I make it official, we might have problems).

2. Also, he just helped her move despite the fact that she is supposedly seeing a new guy. Hmmm...curious. If you had a new man, why would your ex-man be the one to help you move? Don't think too long...the answer is, he wouldn't. Friends or not.

3. Thirdly, and this is totally nit-picky but kinda bothered me. I went out of my way to post a really cute message on his Facebook wall at midnight on his birthday despite the time difference - and he "liked" it. (Yay!) Then when all the hundreds, yes hundreds, of other messages came rolling in on U.S. time he didn't "like" or reply to any of them, so I was super flattered. Except one. Ex-gf's message. He "liked" hers too. (Not yay. Unyay).

He was very upfront with me about their continued friendship - and I get that a 3+ year relationship creates a strong bond that doesn't go away just because the romance does, especially because they stayed in each other's lives. But now, in thinking back to our conversation about them, he said to me, "we realized we're better off as 'best friends.'" He didn't say regular friends, he said "best." The thing is, whether it ends up being Parker or not, I want my lover to be my best friend. So regardless of if there is any continued romantic interest between the two of them - if she still occupies that space in his life, the best friend space, then what space does that leave for him to build that with someone else? Namely, me?...

So far he has been saying and doing all the right things, but these days that is pretty easy from the other side of  the world. So, he is going to be moving about a week after he gets back from his trip. For me, I think a big indicator will be if he asks me to help him move, if he asks her or if he asks both of us. If he asks me, then he is as serious about me as he says he is. If he asks her, there is "trouble in River City" (as my mom used to say) and I will probably have to say something analagous to what I wrote above about the whole If she occupies your "best friend space," then what space is there for someone else? And if he asks both of us and we get to meet, I will definitely know they are in the friend zone (from his side). But, see item #2 above...it would be kinda weird, right? (I'll also get to see if my suspicions are true about her still having feelings for him and if she is actually nice to me. He insists she will be...mm hm -- that's my skeptical mm hm. Nice = friend zone, Fake-Nice or Straight Bitchy = still in love). Only 30 more days until I find out....

Dating Bender: Episode 8 - "Runaway Train"

O.M.G. you guys, my date with Parker last night was A-MAZ-ING! I feel a little like a teenager starting off a post with that phrase, but I am just not sure anything else would do it justice. Plus, we act a little like teenagers when we are out together. Both of us admitted that we don't really like to be "those people" that are all over each other and make out in public (although I do like a little classy PDA from time-to-time...), but we simply can not keep our hands off each other when we are together. As if that wasn't enough, we never seem to run out of things to talk about. I'm not sure I have ever met the full package before.

Okay, the date...

We took the train together downtown to hit some bars - his very smart idea - so neither of us had to drive. When we are together time just disappears; we started our evening at 6 pm and before either of us realized it was after 10 pm. At that point we decided to get some dinner - we decided to share tacos. He said we must really like each other since it's not the politest thing to eat on a date, hah.

A couple interesting conversational notes:

He told his mom about me. So cute and a very good sign especially given it is so early.

But, we opened up the ex-files.. Not mine. If you've gone back to previous posts, you'll know that my ex is in Texas, we've been broken up for almost 3 years and he doesn't even talk to me. In fact, last I checked he still has me blocked on Facebook. A little extreme, methinks....but anyway...I digress (which I do alot ;-) His ex, of 3 years, however, is still very much in the picture. Let me give you a minute to let that one sink in. Yep. Currently. Very much in the picture. AND they only broke up in the fall. They still hang out as friends, as in she's in his social circle that he sees at least once a week and she will also be watching his dog when he is travling later this month (because, after all, they did get the dog together). :-/ He assured me that he has zero intention of ever getting back with her because they broke up for a good reason and it was without drama and that I really have nothing to worry about. That definitely made me feel better, but I am still feeling a little threatened. What do you think?

So...after we took the train back (the ride was waaaay too long, if you know what I mean...) Parker invited me back to his place and I (hopefully not too) enthusiastically accepted. Pretty much as soon as we walked into his bedroom we started tearing each other's clothes off. To the point that I was pretty much down to my underwear before we realized his bedroom door wasn't closed. (oops). Things got real hot really quickly and when it was time to make the "big decision" I told him I wasn't ready. He said he agreed with me - that we should wait - and it really didn't seem to hinder our connection or the mostly-naked fun we had for the rest of the night. I fell asleep tucked right under his arm with my head on his chest.

There was a point when his dog jumped on the bed and woke us up - since I have a problem falling asleep quickly, I decided to keep him up too with a little middle of the night nookie session. So fun! And of course, we got frisky again this morning.

He dropped me off at my place this morning and we figured out when we are going to see each other next and he already sent me what I am realizing is his usual "I had fun with you" post-date text; a ritual I have grown to very much appreciate.

Now that I've waited until a little later in the day to write about it all, here's the thing - and y'all are probably going to think I am being totally paraniod - and I probably am - but we have been texting almost non-stop since we met. And today after he sent that text and I sent him my "me too" flirty response - nothing.  Even though we didn't have sex, we definitely got intimate and we still definitely had some "firsts" which puts both of us, but particulary the me, in a really vulnerable state. Why don't guys understand that this is the time to be extra attentive, not the time to play it cool?

It's like an alarm bell goes off in men's heads once they know a girl starts letting her guard down and really liking them and that's when it all falls apart. (And admittedly an alarm bell goes off in women's heads that makes them act cray-cray after they get naked with a guy for the first time...I am obviously a shining example of THAT right now). I really hope I am not reading into the silence too much and I hope it's just a product of me having been treated badly in the past. I hope to feel really stupid later when he texts me like usual. (I hope).

Parker has surprised me at every turn so odds point to him continuing to to do so. I just keep focusing on what an amazing time we had last night (and this morning) and how he kept telling me how much he liked me being in his bed...but I just can't help the feeling in my gut that is telling me something is up and life thus far has taught me that 90% of the time, even when I want to ignore it, (and even when I do) my gut instinct turns out to be right. Damn it! But even that still gives me 10% chance, right?