Just need a back-to-reality check with initial dating and this guy.

Feeling unsure about how I'm currently going with online dating and really want opinions or someone to help me gather thoughts.

Heres a summary: I (38 F) got on hinge and made a profile about 20 days ago. Matched with someone (35 M) that very night (Friday) who has an excellent first message. We ended up messaging big giant blocks of messages over that day and the next and he asks to meet up but I cant because of prior plans. We have excellent chemistry.

Just a side note - I have an 8 year old and that makes inital dating hard. He has no kids.

I organise to meet him in town for drinks on Friday, a week after we start messaging. It goes extremely well. We walk by the water afterwards and kiss lots. I go home at around midnight. We organise to have lunch the next day and sit at the Cafe for like 2.5 hours. Great chemistry.

Continue to talk everyday and message like crazy. We then organise for a walk during work 5 days later (I work down down road from where he lives) and that goes well too. This is Thursday then on Friday my friends invite him out with us and we all have an amazing time. He calls (and pays) for me to take an uber home. He paid for all our drinks that night too which I didn't know until the next say.

That was this past Friday. So over the course of...17 days, we've met four times, text regularly and have admitted how much we enjoy each other's presence. And we are going to be meeting at least twice this week with plans to spend all day Saturday together.

Now my issue - I'm feeling insecure about things, a bit panicky and keep questioning if he really likes me. And I want to see him more. I'm being really impatient.

I don't want to say, for example, that I feel that way and am overthinking because I mean it's been like 17 damn days... but I'm also starting to feel it more and more because I'm catching feelings hard and I really don't want to get hurt.

I've had 4 major long term relationships in my life, so I'm not exactly new at this... but I definitely struggle in this inital dating phase.

Anyway... I guess I'm not sure where to go from here other than to try to keep it chill and just wait it out. Like.. I want to ask about going exclusive (the more I see him, the more I will get hurt, I guess) but is it too early? We havent even had sex yet and I want to have sex with him, I want to ask about if what I'm sending his way is what he wants and vice versa and I guess I just don't want to jump the gun.

Anyone got any advice or similar stories? Just need an ear or to hear other experiences... so I can calm the fuck down lol

TLDR been only 17 days dating a guy and want some help being talked off a cliff