hitting it and quitting it for 2 years

Ugggggggggggg.

so about 2 years ago I meet a guy online. I’m incredibly attracted to him but find out pretty quickly he’s only interested in booty calls. luckily I realized it early on so was able to detach and take it for all it was for about 4 months. I’d go over, we would hang out for a couple hours, then hook up, then I’d stay the night and scram the next morning. It was great for what it was, the sexual chemistry was probably the best I’ve had honestly but I eventually wanted something more, he was leaving for the military and didn’t seem to want more, so I stopped replying to his booty call texts. Eventually got a serious boyfriend. I would think that would be the end right? But every few months or so he would text me. Sometimes I’d briefly respond…sometimes I wouldn’t. he knew I was taken. There was a long period, like almost 6 months I didn’t respond at all but sometimes his name would still pop up on my phone with a “how are you”.

He persisted in touching base with me for the next year and a half. my bf and I broke up and one night mind I responded to this guys text from a few months ago that I never replied to. he responded immediately, said he was really happy to hear from me, that he still thought about me quite a bit…. but he’s on base in different state now, thought plans to return eventually. he eventually got back to his short replies that was the standard when we were hooking up so a bit perplexed I pulled back again.

Yet he continues to message me every so often. Sometimes it turns flirty and sexual, sometimes not but it never goes deep. I grilled him once asking him why he’s not seeing anyone after all this time, why he’s bothering with a girl in another state who he only really knows in a sexual level, why he says he missed spending time with me when all we did was hook up etc. I mean this guy is really hot, he’s on the special forces so physically he’s A game… honestly I considered him out of my league. he said he just couldn’t shake me and yeah he’s hung out with a few other girls since but he prefers me, and he liked us hanging out just in general. Uhh huh.

IDK you guys, I mean I’m not naive enough to think he’s in love with me or wants to pursue a relationship because he’s always put the bare minimum effort towards it. Yeah he keeps pursuing but other than that he’s showed no signs of wanting more. Obviously i like the attention because I haven’t cut him off completely. just curious if anyone has any insight on to why he’s still hanging on 2 years later, or if anyone has had a similar situation? Collecting insight so i can make up my mind if I want to tell him that I want more or else leave me alone or if i am actually ok with this weird dynamic continuing.