My boyfriend (28M) and I (30F) have been together almost a year. He’s affectionate in a lot of ways — buys me flowers, plans fun activities, gives me little gifts, and makes time for me. But when it comes to actual dates — nice dinners, dressing up, a planned romantic evening — he avoids it. I’ve asked, I’ve cried about it, I’ve explained how much it means to me, and we’ve been on maybe two real dates in a year.
For context, I’m his first real girlfriend in about seven years — before me it was mostly casual, non-serious stuff.
One big event that happened two months ago was my birthday, and it was a time for him to really show romance and affection towards me, and he really dropped the b