Unexpected and scary

aaaaaahhh How lovely ! If you tell him you are a little shy this will only make him adore you more.........I'd go on the weekend with him. I'm sure he will understand how you feel. Confide in him a little.

Invite him in after a dinner date to see your 'etchings'..
Good luck!

Thanks for the clarification . Since you do know him / his background, and you have been on a few casual dates, I'd say that you are ready for "the next step". I'd go with the weekend away - life is too short for wasting time with further dates as if you were an innocent teenager.

Tell him that you are worried about rushing into something you are not ready for - I'm sure that since you already know him well, he'll be understanding about the sex part of things. Ask for separate rooms, and if things work out you can change the arrangement. Best wishes to you !

He is a retired architect who used to work with my husband, he lost his wife to cancer 2 yrs ago so I do know his background. We met by chance at a party the first dates were quite casual and companionable then he took me to a dinner dance. I hadn't danced up close to a man for many years the affect was dramatic and very scary, so you can understand that if I do get taken on a long weekend I don't want to spoil it by my lack of confidence.

Actually if it were me (I am cautious) I would first invite him supper. Just supper and maybe a cuddle on the sofa. No more the first time. Has he been to yours before?

If that went well, I'd then think about the next step. Don't rush things, he will wait, if he's really a lovely understanding person.

Be a good detective, did you meet him online?
Have you done a drive by of his home?
Have you met his friends and family?
Have you checked out his FB page or Twitter, or Linkdin?
Have you googled his name?
If all of your answers are No, then don’t do either of your posted options until you can answer yes to all 4 questions.
Hopefully question 1 is a no.

Lucky you !

How few is a few dates one or two or lots ?
All I can add is do be careful not everyone is as they seem but hopefully he’s a good bloke and you have lots of future fun
I m also not sure about the alone at home scenario surely if you go away for the weekend out of respect he will have booked two single rooms and then if you want to change the arrangement you can
Enjoy yourself

Have others (eg friends and family) met this man? If not, I would certainly not invite him to my house and be alone with him. How well do you really know him?

On the other hand, if he has met friends and/or family and is becoming part of your wider life then by all means ask him round for ‘supper’ and see where it goes,

I’m thinking about your safety.

Perhaps he thinks it would be easier for you to sleep with him for the first time away from home? This definitely needs to be discussed with him. Could you go away and have single rooms and see how you feel while you are away?

I totally agree, home turf is best to start with.

Have you met each others friends at all yet? As you are quite serious about him, might it be good to meet up as a group with some of your friends ad see how that goes. Good luck, be happy.

Definitely the second option on so many counts.
I could not have shared a room with anyone I didn't know well, or he may not be suggesting that.
If he was expecting to and you didn't exactly gel, how awkward would that be,
Ask him for a meal, without the expectation of staying over and see how it goes.

Home turf! You can always have both - the home date and the weekend away (if the former goes well).

Good luck