I'm noticing a pattern in my dating life. I go on a first date with women and we hit it off very well. We share our life stories/trauma, get physical, and there is reciprocal intense interest. Most recently, I had a first date with an acquaintance that felt perfect and she even asked how many kids I wanted/how I wanted to get married. Last year I had a first date where a different acquaintance started to say "I love you", but caught herself.

After the first date though they pull back and will stop replying for days. The recent girl asked me to hang out and said she would "let me know the details <3" and then never texted me. I pulled back and then the next day she texts me saying "you didn't text me today!" Well fast forward and I lash out a little bit asking why they're treating me like this and ghosting me/blowing me off. I cut her off and then 6 weeks later she texts me saying she "really likes me a lot" and has been "super bummed about how this all played out." Also, a mutual friend set us up at her request so I know she was interested.

Why does this happen? Are they assessing devotion? Am I supposed to put up with being treated poorly until they decide to come around? I haven't dated someone I had feelings for since high school, but is this the name of the game now?