Yesterday I finally got up the guts to ask out a guy I really like. I'm 29, he's 27. I had figured that he was either very shy or maybe has Aspergers. Right now I almost completely believe it's the latter. I met him online initially but I've seen him in person a couple times. He has a tendency for long-winded monologues about his interests without regard to my attention, both online and in person, which was the real tip off. He is also one of the nicest people I've ever met. Anyway.
He told me that he is just interested in friendship. However, he said that he hadn't realized I was interested in him at all until I spelled it out in so many words. (I thought I had pretty much rented a billboard and advertised it!) The paradox is that -- unlike any guy who has ever rejected me before -- he seemed to really like the idea that I liked him that way, without reciprocating my feelings. He told me that he took it as a compliment. There was absolutely no sense of being creeped out or disgusted by my interest. In fact, he acted like he still wanted to take me up on my suggestion of seeing one another, just as friends. I have known him to be completely honest in everything he has said to me, with no indication whatsoever of "dropping hints" or duplicity, so I take him at his word.
I plan on keeping in touch with him and seeing where things go, but is it unrealistic of me to think that he might have time to think about it and realize that he likes me too?