Why does a married man keep reaching out to me?

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Long story short. About 9 years ago, a coworker and I met and we had instant chemistry and a mutal attraction that we never ever acted on. Fast forward to last year ( I am now in my early 30s, he is 40) we ran into each other at a work meeting, hit it off again, and he asked for my number. We are not children. The problem is he is now married. I saw his ring but neither of us have ever mentioned it. We both admitted how seeing each other again after nearly a decade felt like a movie and we constantly tell each other how "I have hated you from day 1" which for me, means I love him. I just can't bring myself to say it yet.

We continued texting constantly this entire year. There would be 2-3 month breaks where he goes silent but then he always says hello again and we talk. We have never ever met up but we do flirt and sext. He doesn't really pressure me to meet up either but we do make plans as if we would and really want to. His wife is drop dead beautiful and they look extremely happy in pictures. They look like Ken and Barbie, only married for 2 years and no kids so far.

Also, this entire year, he would always use words like pretty or sexy to describe selfies I send him but I finally sent him a casual non-selfie of me at my nephew's birthday party and he said, "I only have one word for tonight. Beautiful." He has never used this word to describe me before. Could this mean he has real feelings for me? It took him a year to say it.

The painful part is I noticed he also tends to go a little cold/silent once I send him sexier pictures of myself or after a sexting session ( I am so ashamed to admit that). Is he using me or does he have actual feelings and can't stay away but does not want to actually cheat on his wife?
Why does a married man keep reaching out to me?
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