Ah, love in the digital age.
We now have more ways to connect with potential partners than ever before, but that doesn’t mean finding love is any easier.
In fact, in some ways, it’s harder than ever to tell if someone likes you or not.
Does that double text mean they’re interested?
Or are they just trying to be polite?
Sigh.
If you’re wondering whether a guy is really into you or just playing it cool, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.
Here are signs he likes you but is playing it cool.
17 Signs He Likes You But is Playing it Cool
1. He shows interest but isn’t pushy
If a guy is interested in you, he’ll show it in his behavior.
He might try to make plans with you, offer to help you out, or just generally be around you more.
However, if he’s playing it cool, he won’t be too pushy about it.
He might text you first but won’t bombard you with messages.
He might make plans, but he’ll also be happy to hang out with you spontaneously.
He might say things like, “we should get together sometime,” not “I’d like to get together sometime.”
He’s interested, but he’s not going to make it too obvious.
He’ll want to seem like he’s not too interested, so he’ll take things slow and play it cool.
2. He’s flirty but not too serious
When a guy is playing it cool, he might flirt with you to try and gauge your interest.
However, he won’t want to come on too strong, so his flirting will be light and playful rather than serious or romantic.
You might even be unsure whether he’s just being friendly or if he’s flirting.
3. You’ve never been on a real date, but it feels like you have
If you’ve been seeing each other for a while but it feels like you’ve never actually been on a date, that’s another sign he’s playing it cool.
He might take you out to grab drinks or coffee, but it never feels quite like a real date.
It’s just two friends hanging out, with a little flirting thrown in.
4. He introduces you as a friend…but his body language says something different
One way to tell if someone is interested in you is to pay attention to their body language.
If a guy likes you but is playing it cool, he might introduce you as a friend to other people, but his body language will betray his true feelings.
He might stand too close, touch you a little too often, or look at you with more than just friendly interest.
5. He has a calm, relaxed manner around you
When we like someone, we tend to get slightly nervous around them.
Our heart rate speeds up, and we might start to fidget or babble.
However, if a guy likes you but is playing it cool, he’ll try to appear calm and relaxed.
He doesn’t want to seem too eager, so he’ll act like he’s not affected by your presence at all.
6. He’s always available but never makes any plans himself
If you’re always the one making plans with him and he’s always available when you do, that’s another sign that he likes you but is playing it cool.
He wants to spend time with you but doesn’t want to seem too eager, so he’ll never make plans himself.
He’s happy to go along with whatever you want to do, as long as it means he gets to spend time with you.
7. You catch him staring at you, but he quickly looks away
If you catch him staring at you when you’re not looking, that’s a good sign he likes you.
However, if he quickly looks away or pretends he wasn’t staring, that’s because he doesn’t want to make it too obvious.
He’s trying to play it cool, so he doesn’t want you to know that he can’t keep his eyes off you.
I’m not liking this guy at all.
Just tell me you like me, dammit!
8. His texts are always friendly but never flirty
If a guy likes you but is playing it cool, his texts will reflect that.
They’ll be friendly and casual but never flirty or romantic.
He doesn’t want to come on too strong, so he’ll avoid saying anything that could be misinterpreted as a come-on.
Hope you are having fun, cool guy?
9. He’s always happy to help you out but never asks for anything in return
If a guy is interested in you, he might try to help you out with things or do favors for you.
However, if he’s playing it cool, he won’t expect anything in return.
He’ll just be happy to have the opportunity to help you out and show his interest in you.
Awww, nice guy.
A guy who tells you he wants you will do things for you because he hopes to spend time with you and impress you, but Mr. Cool Guy here will act like it’s no big deal.
10. You feel like you have to read between the lines with him
If a guy likes you but is playing it cool, you might feel like you have to read between the lines to figure out how he feels.
He’s not going to come right out and say he likes you, so you’ll have to look for other signs and clues.
11. He asks questions about your personal life casually
When a guy likes you, he might try to get to know you better by asking questions about your personal life.
However, if he’s playing it cool, he’ll casually ask these questions, as if he’s just making conversation.
He doesn’t want to seem too interested or invested in you, so he’ll keep his questions light and surface-level.
12. He keeps his distance physically
If a guy likes you but keeping it cool, he’ll want to be close to you—but not too close.
There will be an awkward dance as each of you tries to gauge how the other feels and how far they can push things physically without overstepping their boundaries.
13. He tries to mask his jealousy when other guys come around you
A guy who likes you might feel jealous when other guys come around you.
However, if he’s playing it cool, he’ll try to mask his jealousy with indifference or even amusement.
He doesn’t want to let on that he’s interested in you, so he’ll act like he doesn’t care who you talk to or spend time with.
Hehehe.
I don’t envy the guy playing it cool at all.
It’s a lot of work.
14. He flirts with other girls in front of you
If a guy likes you but is trying to play it cool, he might flirt with other girls in front of you.
He’s trying to make you jealous and prove that he’s not interested in you.
However, his flirting will probably be pretty obvious, so don’t be fooled.
15. He acts like he doesn’t care about you
If a guy likes you but is playing it cool, he might act like he doesn’t care about you.
He’ll act like he doesn’t care what you do or say.
However, this is just an act—he actually cares a lot about you and is just trying to play it cool.
16. He’s always around but never makes a move
If a guy likes you, he’ll probably want to be around you as much as possible.
However, he’ll never make a move if he’s playing it cool.
He’ll just wait for you to make the first move and give him a signal that it’s okay to pursue you.
17. You feel it in your gut
If you’re not sure whether a guy likes you or not, trust your gut.
You’ll probably have a feeling one way or the other, even if you can’t explain it logically.
If you think a guy likes you but is playing it cool, you’re right.
Games are fun and all, but not when it comes to your love life (trust me).
No one wants to feel like they’re being played by someone they’re interested in, so if any of these signs sound familiar, then it might be time to confront him or move on and find someone who is interested in being in a relationship with you—no games required.
