It really isn't unethical for you to desire him. And I agree with Perna that the burden really is on him with respect to the appropriateness of anything. It is his conduct that is bound, not yours.

I don't think that there is anything wrong or weird with your being attracted to him. I guess I was just wondering whether the term 'love' is appropriate. That being said, love means different things to different people. I surely understand how you can feel very strongly attracted to what you know of them. I've felt that way about many a p-doc :-) That being said, I think that part of what is attractive about them is the capacity they see us in. For a time they pay complete attention to us. To our thoughts and feelings and desires. They try and help us. Who in their right mind wouldn't be attracted to that?

It is unlikely that that would carry over into their personal relationships, though. Still... Some people don't seem to have the capacity to listen at all and seeing as they have the capacity, there is something attractive in that, yeah. It would be hard to know how you would feel about him had you met him for the first time in a different setting, though. Impossible to know... The reason why some clinicians think it is always unethical to date past clients is that they don't believe that that initial patient / clinician dynamic can be undone. I don't know...

Enjoy feeling nice when you think of him, I say. But if you feel heartache then maybe remind yourself that he could well be a control freak or a wife beater or who the hell knows what...

But there are decent guys out there who are capable of listening and liking you not just for sex. Oh yes they are, hang on to that indeed :-)