Are you sure, because it kinda feels like....

I have a big dilemma and I'm trying not to focus on it 24/7 because there are other things that are more important. But here's my problem. Lately "Valentine" is starting to grow on me and evoke more than friendly emotions. This is a problem because he has stated on more than one occasion that he only wants to be friends with females. And given the recent history of some of his female friends coming on to him, I have to find a way to keep my cool.

The question I've been asked over and over has been " are you sure you two are just friends because it kinda seems like you're not." Apparently his behavior towards me to the outside observer appears to be "more than friendly" including my dad who continues to insist that he is "playing for keeps." As he puts it, he told my mom that he and she were just friends until the point he just couldn't take it any longer. Suffice to say it's now 30 years later and they are still friends but also married.

In the past four weeks we've gone to the movies almost once a week (I currently hold his top record for going to the movies with one person), hung out at his place at least once a week, worked out together at least once a week (including getting through a 6am workout after we talked on the phone until 220 am), had lunch with my entire family twice, and I've attended two events with his church friends and met two of his siblings.

He's told me that some of his other female friends have begun to make snide comments about how he has been spending more time with me than them lately and he's brushed it off by saying that I have an advantage over them because our talks are uplifting and inspirational, we have common interests (read gym), and we live in close proximity to each other. These are logical explanations to me that I accept but my dad isn't entirely convinced.

Especially when I mention that he's made it a point to personally cook dinner for me at his place more than once, including purchasing something else for dinner when I suggested we eat something other than what he'd prepared...

Because I now know that talking on the phone doesn't equal him liking me, I'm not as certain about whether this is a signal that he wants to be more than friends or if I'm just a convenient distraction before he goes to bed.

I've also noticed that he constantly asks whether anyone has hit on me and assumes that every time I tell him a story about a guy that it ends in the guy asking me out on a date.* I've never given him the impression that I'm the type of girl that expects all that attention, so I have to believe deep down that he is protective or cautious of the possibility that someone will approach me while he is still playing his friend card.

Either way, the extra attention he pays me and the way he takes care of me is second to none. I really feel it is genuine and could be continued over a long period of time. His compliments are so unexpected but simplistically charming that they make me blush and wonder, "could there be more?..."

When we talk about certain things, he always talks about us doing things in the future, the beach, my family reunion, etc., but I never know in what capacity he sees us doing those things.

Because of this, I keep my guard up and my eyes open. While this basket looks really attractive to the eye, I do have to be aware there may be another that's even better to store my eggs.

*He also confessed to doing a little Facebook stalking to see if I had pictures of my ex-boyfriend. I don't and I can't find the prom picture that he desperately wants to see. Sidenote: he is convinced the girl he took to prom looks like me. Jury is still out on that one...