Why do guys "just want to be friends", but still act like they are interested?

I am wondering if it is possible for a guy to value a friendship with a girl so much that he just refuses to let her go?

I was seeing this guy. Nothing physical happened, but we had great chemistry and flirted quite a lot. When confronting him about where things are going he said he just wants to be friends because he’s too busy at work right now, and is not “emotionally stable to have a girlfriend”.

I got upset, told him to bug off. He got very upset, and INSISTED on being friends with me anyway. Since we havent known each other for that long, I thought it was a bit odd to get that upset about a short lived “friendship”.

Now: We’re back to being friends. But I try to pull away, whereas he always finds a way to contact me. Why is he being so persistent? He even makes plans for things he wants to do several years ahead with me. But I can’t be just friends cause I still have feelings for him.

Should I wait for him or just once and for all cut him out of my life? Or is it possible for a guy to really not feel guilty for pursuing friendship with a girl he knew had feelings for him?