I think he's one of the good guys

The other night at the bar, I ran into a guy I met a few months ago. When I first arrived, I went to grab a glass of wine.

"You smell good," a male voice said.

I looked over and we realized we had met before. At the time he had a girlfriend, and now he doesn't.

We talked off and on all evening. I saw him get a chair for a young women I know who had consumed way too much alcohol for her small body. She could hardly stand. He asked good questions and listened to the answers. He answered questions I asked. He met and talked to some of my friends. He was friendly. Likable. We traded numbers and he walked me to my building, then went back to meet his friend.

He texted me twice that night before I went to sleep. Then we went out the next night and last night too, and he's sent a couple of chatty texts today.

I admit I'm bad at picking guys. I'm too trusting and overlook the negatives. I'm trying to get better, so I've started looking at the pluses and the minuses.

I liked him the first time we met a few months ago. He's attractive and interesting to talk to. We went to the same university, have the same degree and similar upbringing. And neither of us has kids.

Over the last four days, I've learned lots of good things. He loves animals and has two dogs - one he rescued as a puppy from the middle of a busy intersection. He loves Christmas and tradition and family. He has two Christmas trees and wasn't even in town to enjoy them since he was with his family. He still respects and cares for his girlfriend and doesn't talk trash about her. He opens doors for me and helps me with my coat. He seems equally as comfortable hanging out just with me or with his friends or mine. He notices things - when my drink's getting low, when a situation's awkward, when it's time to leave. And he's an attentive, amazing, beautiful lover.

For the other side of the list, he's a smoker, not a good thing since I have asthma. He's fresh out of a seven-year relationship. Although they had both emotionally checked out about eight months ago, she just moved out of his house over the holidays. She still has some clothes and things there - and a key that he says she hasn't used since she moved out. That's fresh. Almost raw.

What pleases me most is that we're not private. He's openly affectionate and seems happy being out as a couple. He even reached out and held my hand as we walked up the street. We're both in a similar place in our lives. Neither of us wants the boyfriend/girlfriend relationship but rather someone we enjoy hanging out with and going out together.

We're not dating. I'm not sure we've even reached the label stage yet, but I enjoy being around him. He seems just a little too good to be true. Are there scary things hiding somewhere?

Love to the single girls,
Addison