Ginsberg may be socially obtuse, to put it mildly, but even he can't miss a reaction like that one. It might as well be an answer of affirmation, even if nothing actually comes out of Ned's mouth. He recognizes that his own question had been a little blunt, completely artless, completely without any forethought, but he hadn't intend to scare Ned. It had just been a question. He immediately feels guilty for having given Ned that reaction, for Ned even having to ask that question.

He shakes his head. "No, no, I was trying to... I mean, I was just wondering because I wouldn't have a problem if you were. Because this..."

At least he has the good sense to lean a little closer, so that they won't be overheard, although nobody's paying attention to them anyway. "This kind of feels like a date. Not that I know a lot about dates, either. But this is what I imagine they're like, when they actually work out, and I don't get things thrown at me. But I wanted to make sure."