Is he interested if he doesn't sit close to me on dates

Distance early on can mean several things that have nothing to do with how much he likes you. He might be worried about moving too fast and scaring you away. He might be anxious about reading signals wrong. He might come from a culture or family where physical escalation happens slowly. He might even assume you want him to wait.

What matters more is the rest of his behavior. Is he leaning in when you talk? Making eye contact? Remembering details from earlier conversations? Texting you between dates? Suggesting specific plans for the next one? These are stronger signals than where he sits. Guys who aren't interested tend to go quiet, cancel plans, or give vague responses about the future. Distance alone doesn't add up to that pattern.

Stop isolating the distance and look at the date as a whole. After the date, does he text within a few hours? Does he initiate the next one, or does he wait for you to suggest it? Do the dates feel longer, more relaxed, more planned? Are the conversations getting deeper or staying surface level? Is he asking you things that show he's trying to know you?

Pay attention to quality over physical proximity. A guy who sits across from you but remembers you said you hated your job and asks how it went is showing more interest than a guy who holds your hand but never follows up. You're looking for a pattern of effort, memory, and real curiosity. One date of distance doesn't mean anything. Three dates of distance plus vague texting and canceled plans means something. Three dates of distance plus consistent follow-up and clear enthusiasm means he's probably just moving slow.

If you've had three or four dates and you're still wondering, the distance has probably stopped being about nerves and started being about what he actually wants. At that point, waiting for him to make a move isn't clarifying anything. You need to create a moment where physical contact is natural and see how he responds, or you need to have a conversation.

You don't need to say 'Why won't you touch me.' Instead, sit next to him instead of across from him. Hold his hand during a walk. See if he pulls away or leans in. If he leans in, the distance was just hesitation. If he pulls away or stiffens, you have your answer. If you still can't tell after that, and the texting between dates is also unclear, it's time to step back. You shouldn't have to engineer physical contact or chase clarity this far in.