He loves me, but not in love with me?

My boyfriend and I really liked each other very much. At least that’s what I thought until he broke up with me…he said that he had liked another girl before he went out with me, and those feelings for her stirred back up again in the middle of our relationship. I don’t see him as a douchebag though, because he did like me a lot, and he knew that if he kept up our relationship, it would’ve hurt me because of his mixed feelings. What I’m getting onto is that wow, he still really cares a lot about me. He says I’m really special in his heart, that I’m a really good person and friend he could turn to. He said he loves me, but not in that way. He can still be really close to me, still be able to give me long hugs and kisses on the cheek. But not in that way. It saddens me that those gestures can’t be more than what I want it to be. I often wondered that if the girl he likes wasn’t around, if I could still be in that “romantic” part of his heart? I also sometimes ponder if I’m still able to win him back? I’m glad that he can still be so close to me and chooses to be. But…should I keep pursuing or should I just give up? Given this chance of being close to him…he is honestly the most caring guy I’ve ever met.