Edit: thanks for y'all's advice, that was very helpful to sooth my mind and make me reframe my own worries!

My love language is touch. I have trouble imagining sitting next to a romantic Partner without touching them (in a Restaurant appropriate setting).

Now I'm with new to poly and I'm thriving so far. I've been with Aspen for a few months and we're clearly heading towards a committed relationship, while I'm also actively dating other people (nothing stuck yet but still). I can imagine this relationship style being mine for the future. (And I do have a cute date coming up Saturday evening and another one next week 😅)

Aspen asked me months ago if id like to meet my meta, Birch. I put that on hold because it's new to me, and worked a bit to understand my emotions around it - and now I'm genuinely excited about it, Birch seems like a great person. Aspen never put any pressure on me or anything, just to be clear - it was my decision to do this and at least garden party poly sounds like where I want this to be, maybe more.

So we're doing to grab coffee Saturday which sounds great to me. My only worry is - my love language is touch and I can barely be next to Aspen without side hugging her (and vice versa). While Birch apparently wouldn't mind, it still sounds not appropriate to cuddle Aspen at the meeting 😅

So ... How to I prepare myself to just... Not cuddle and kiss? I'm genuinely just afraid I'll do something inappropriate and while I know it will be fine and no one will be mad at me, I'm trying to mentally prepare myself if possible. How do you all approach this?

(Probably I'll get over myself and it will be great!)

Thanks guys!!

(Extra info if needed: we are all in our thirties, Aspen and me both agree this is becoming a relationship but are a bit hesitant to fully commit for our own reasons, Aspen and Birch are very kitchen table poly with Aspen's meta but I've never felt pressured to join that ever)