I can say that it wont be the same as before, as this time he will be very measured in a way to have your friendship and but importantly having his escape route once the avoidance kicks in. I would guess that last time as things got serious he would have felt that there was allot of expectations over and above what he can handle plus loosing his personal space that his only way out was to was to withdraw.

The hard part is because you like him more than a friend so your going to want more than he can give.