He won't call me his girlfriend?

Hi everyone,

So here’s something I’d like a little insight to. I’ll try to make this as short as possible.
Basically, I’ve been in a relationship with a guy for the past year – however, we have NEVER talked about whether we are boyfriend and girlfriend.. and now, it’s starting to bug me.

A bit of back story:

I started work at the company we both used to work at, I coming out of a relationship, and so was he, only his was about 10 years (we’re both 28 years old).

We really didn’t expect to like each other as fast and hard as we did, I feel sometimes people just cross your path, even when you weren’t ready or expecting them to.

At first, we just became really close friends and eventually, it turned into more. Fast forward to today, we’ve been seriously seeing each other for over a year now. He’s very attentive, loyal, expressive, all the amazing qualities I could ever ask for. He’s never once broke my trust, trusts me completely, his family knows we’re seeing each other, he’s public about us on social media, his friends know, etc. So really – what the hell is going on here?

We’ve been through some hard times, a few months in, I remember him chasing me so hard, and I just couldn’t, because I didn’t want anything at the time – hence, I was confused, and hurt him in the sense I’ve really toyed and pushed and pulled with his emotions from the past. Now, that we’re stable and healthy again – we still talk everyday, see each other often.

My thing is, I’m coming to a point where I’m questioning everything. Why won’t this guy, who loves me as much as he claims, give me that title to feel secure? Rather, it seems he’s willing to lose me, just because he can’t figure out why we can’t say what we already are, and have been, this whole time.

When I’ve asked him, his response is basically, he doesn’t know, he may be scared of getting hurt, that he’s trying to understand for himself what’s really going on and stopping him..

And no, he’s never cheated. We’re very transparent, he’ll give me his phone all the time, etc. He’s a super honest and loyal man.

But, it makes me question – w t f ? It almost makes me feel not good enough, and I never used to be the woman to question my own self worth. I do want a man who knows he wants me completely, and not be in some state of limbo.

All I can think is, hmm, maybe he really got messed up from his last relationship..

Thoughts? Advice?

– K