I don't want to get trapped in the friend zone.

[Cridders88]

It sounds like he could be still hung up on his ex a bit, which isn't all that surprising given the longevity of their relationship. It seems he is not ready for a full on relationship just yet, and he said as much from the start. But he does seem interested in you, so perhaps he just wants to take things slow and see where things lead. Spend more time with him, try not to think too far ahead. Tigerlover offers some good advice in his last paragraph, perhaps meet up a few more times, get to know him a bit more then maybe test the waters a bit, but don't push too hard. He has made his feeling on embarking on a relationship right now quite clear after all. Best of luck