Why would a guy who apparently likes you say you would make a cute couple with another guy?

[Anonymous]

Background - This is a guy who has told me I'm girlfriend material, beautiful, pretty, cute, etc. He has told me what a good personality I have and stuff. He is also always commenting on how good I smell. He tells me nearly daily that I smell good. He has started hugging me. He texts me pretty often. He also likes to be there for me. We have had sex before and he routinely comments on how good I am in bed.

Yet today, things got a little weird. There's a rumor that someone else other than him likes me. So I gave my theory on who I thought it was. He said me and that guy would make a cute couple (this other guy is not very good looking/not my type). With the other possibility, he said he could see it because he notices that guy staring at me all the time.

So is he trying to friend zone me or is he playing games? If he does like me, why would he have said I'd make a cute couple with the one other guy? And if he didn't like me/wanted to friend zone me, why would he have referred to me as girlfriend material and say I'm beautiful and stuff?

Updates

10 mo

He's known about the rumor about someone else liking me for awhile. We have discussed it before. He seemed annoyed before and said whomever "he" is needs to just grow a pair and come to me about it. When I noted today that I had a couple options narrowed down, he right away wanted to know their names. So could he have been making note of potential "competition"? Could he be trying to play it cool to avoid scaring me off by being jealous and insecure? He IS bad with feelings too.

[rukus88]

You challenged him by bringing up another mans interest in you, which is a shitty thing to do. He's not intimidated by you having options. He literally told you, if you like someone else better, go for them instead of me. When you date up, don't play games.

[Asker]

This wasn't something I did on purpose. It's an ongoing situation and I didn't start the rumor. He has heard the rumor before. That's why we've talked about it. The first time, I honestly had no leads on who it was and I said that. This time, the rumor escalated to include names. So when asked, I shared them. I like THIS guy. I don't like the other 2 potentials in that way. With the guy he said I'd make a cute couple with, I made it clear I didn't like that guy like that. He isn't attractive and just not my type to date. I try my best to make it clear I like the guy in the question. I just worry he doesn't like me back despite seeming to 99% of the time.

[rukus88]

Find a way to SHOW that. and avoid ANY AND ALL communication with other dude. otherwise your just stringing him along in case it doesn't work out. willfully receiving attention from another man is still cheating. kind of like actively allowing another woman to sit on his lap naked

[Asker]

I don't talk to the other 2 guys like I do the one I like. Me and the one I like have each other's numbers. Me and the other 2 guys do not. Me and the guy I like hug. Me and the other 2 do not. I flirt with the guy I like, not the other 2. I just wish I knew if the guy I like does indeed like me beyond friendship. He is difficult to read because he is bad at flirting and bad with showing feelings.

[rukus88]

be upfront and honest. ask him. and dont try to force his hand by bringing up that he has "competition" because obviously he doesn't AND it won't work

[Hermitess]

Maybe he thinks you’re looking for something more serious than what he wants, so he think she should be with someone else that can give you what you want

[Asker]

I do like this guy and neither of us are really looking for a super serious relationship at the moment and have been clear about that. I did make it known I didn't like the guy he said I'd be a cute couple with back. And it's true. That guy isn't attractive and is just not my type to date for several reasons. I just don't have those feelings for him. I do what I can to let him know I like HIM. He seems to like me too based off how he acts and what he says, but sometimes I wonder. I was taken aback by him saying I'd be a cute couple with another guy. Especially one I'm not even into. It made me wonder if he was just trying to play it cool and not appear jealous or if he was trying to "push me off" onto the other guy.

[Anonymous]

He just wants to be friends.