"I can't give you what you want right now" - - what..?

i won't bother going into the whole back story with my ex and me, but basically we are really close (still) but avoid talking about our situation all the time and we finally did talk about it. i expressed how its so hard just being friends when we both clearly have feelings still. he agreed and he said sorry for wasting my time and never wanted me to wait around but then said...but secretly i did want you to wait because i was waiting too. the message continued with how eventually he had hoped things would go back to how it was when we dated, but he acknowledged he doesnt want to hold me back because he 'can't give me what i want right now' ((YET WE NEVER EVEN TALKED ABOUT WHAT I WANT...but im assuming he predicted that i want a relationship or to be together with him)) and he ended it with "i do really like being with you...and appreciate all the time we've had together".

so i took the message as a good and bad thing. like yea he had hoped for similar things as me that one day we could pick up where we left off, things were never really done between us anyways. so he agrees we have so many feelings for each other (which is why sometimes we both act out in a way like we'll ignore each other for a week or so ...or just be distraught about something which he said was because how much we feel for each other) but then when it comes down to it he is still saying the same things he said 3 yrs ago when we broke up, that he can't give me what i want right now. here is the stinger: every time i flirt with the idea of accepting a date that one of my guy friends may ask me on if he heres the conversation about me possibly going on a date he gets quiet, annoyed, upset. It obviously bothers him. Even so, he doesn't want to "claim" me as his but will still try to keep me very close in his life. he can't let go as much as i can't.

it's impossible for me to break all ties with him. all our friends are mutual..we would see each other some way some how. It just completely sucks not being with someone u care about because they say they can't right now. It's not even like he dates around, he hasn't been with any one else since me and it just makes me think he's either not telling me something or he geniuinely just wants to focus on himself and not have to worry about a relationship on top of trying to figure his life out as a person in their young 20s.

What is your take??

Honestly? Sounds like a lot of games and immaturity. He can't say he doesn't want to be with you and then get upset when he hears you talking about dating someone else.

"I can't be with you right now" = "I'm just not that into you." Btw pick up a copy of He's Just Not That Into You. Its a great book.

Moontiger is right. He's displaying the common behavior of keeping you on a string, which is keeping you in an area of confusion.

(Yes I want to be with you, but now is not the time)

Do not stay in this situation because all you are doing is providing him the good feeling of being wanted and you will not get it back.

Oh and also being in this spot does not help you get back together.