I want to try and keep this brief and vague but essentially I (31F) have been texting a guy (34) since Decemeber. We have mutual friends and had met once in real life (group setting) but he currently lives abroad. Friends are convinced we'd be perfect for eachother and gave him my number. He was originally due home in January - which is why he text me - but that chaned due to covid/contracts/visas, first to May and now finally it seems he'll be home in August. Technically it could get pushed to late September that seems unlikely and he legally can't stay there loner than that. That's the basic back story.

We have so much in common. I really like him and could see this going somewhere but our texts are 100% friendly. There is nothing romantic or flirty. I got really down about it at one point and confessed to a friend that I felt I had made a fool of myself. She has known him for over ten years. She told me that he has spoken about me and how much he likes me, he definitely text me with romantic intentions.

Apperently he has a track record of becoming really good friends with girls he likes before eventually confessing feelings and then being confused as to why they are shocked/consider him a friend. I feel like that's what's happening here, only I'm obviously in on it.

I've tried sending flirty texts but I'm much more of a physical person so that's difficult. Our calls are a little more flirty because there's a bit of body language but not really. I've told him how much I'm looking forward to him coming home, I've tried complimenting/fish for compliments, sending Xs. But I end up feeling rejected when I get nothing back.

I on't want to bring it up openly because I don't think it's fair. We're not in a relationship and he has repeatedly told me how he tries to seperate his life at home and his life there so he can properly enjoy his time abroad while it lasts. I don't want to take that away from him.

At the end of the day, I'm enjoying our chats and if it doesn't work out I'd be happy to consider him a friend... but I do still want to know that he has feeling for me. I worry that I will just think of him as a friend by the time August rolls round. Sorry that was such an essay. Any advice on how to make things more flirty/romantic? Or do I just have to take it for what it is and wait to see what happens when he gets back?

EDIT: Thanks for the replies. I agree for the most part with most of what you're saying. I am already quite attached so I think that ship has sailed but otherwise, yeah I think I'll just have to deal with things as they are. I am still on the apps/dating others technically but just don't have much luck with that in general. If you told me this time last year I'd have been texting someone I couldn't meet for months on end I'd have said that was a delusional thing to do. I don't like texting and usually try keep it under a week before meeting... but here we are!