Older man - interested or playing games?

I've known him just over a year. I bump into him locally. He's separated from his gf, and he's said before that he thinks I'm very special, but it's only been a friendly relationship (although we exchanged numbers and had the chance to kiss, but i went to kiss his cheek as he went to kiss my lips, so nothing happened). I'm in my 20s and he's in his 30s. I feel a big attraction to him I don't quite understand.

I can tell he is fond of me by all the things he does, like look at me when I walk past, and stops talking to his friend, lends me his jacket, shortens my name. He mentioned dinner once before, and said he wishes he could scoop me up, but he also mentioned not wanting to mess up my life. He was very shy when telling me this, when he's usually over confident.

He's called me once before, but I missed it, so he text instead. Nothing has developed further, but I saw him last night & he asked my friend if he could talk to me privately. He just asked me how I was. He text me after asking if I was still up the road, and then while we were texting he mentioned "If you'd like to go to dinner It would be a pleasure to share one with you!" He kept texting me that night.

I replied and added "Maybe it would be nice to go to dinner after I'm finished with all the work.' We text and said goodnight - but now I'm confused whether he likes me, or was it a spur of the moment. He even told this girl if she messes with me, she messes with him, like a threat! And when she said thank you for the drinks. he said they were for Rose (my name is Rosie, but he calls me Rose).But it was a joke. He got extremely jealous when 2 guys my age came to speak to me and a friend.

Why is he saying he doesn't want to mess up my life, then call me, then nothing, then ask me to dinner again? Is he disingenuous or does he have real interest?
 
Top