Dear Bitter Guy -- Relationship advice for singles and not-so-singles

Dear Mr Bitter Guy, I need dating advice ...

Here's the back story, I met this guy on an online dating service, I won't mention which one but it's based on true compatibility. We we're matched based on our compatibility and he initiated communication. We exchanged a few emails, chatted via instant messenger, where we really hit it off and decided to have a phone call. On the phone, we continued to hit it off and talked for a couple of hours. We arranged a brief meeting for a night later that week at a bar which we ended up moving up sooner in the week due to his work schedule is very unpredictable. In his line of work he works odd, inconsistent hours that change every day.

When we met on Thursday, the attraction was undeniable. We saw photos beforehand so we had an idea the but face-to-face mutual chemistry was off the charts. He walked me home and called me when he got home. Over the next week or so, everyday he initiated txts in the morning that would lead to texting marathons all day. He also called me every night. I think we were both excited by the intense chemistry and attraction. Keep in mind, we are both very attractive, picky and have found it difficult to meet people we felt that kind of connection with so it's not like we were naive or desperate. He was very expressive about his sexual attraction for me and how much he wanted to kiss me and how much I turned him on. Of course I felt it was really early for him to be so overly expressive about his sexual feelings towards me, historically I get turned off my guys like this. But, it was ok with him for some reason and we even had phone sex. Twice. He told me he was going to kiss me as soon as he saw me the next time. I suggested that we don't get physical on our 2nd meeting because I wanted to slow it down and didn't want it to be all about sex. Even though it was probably too late for that.

A week and a half later, his work schedule permitted a 2nd meeting during the day that we squeezed in before he went to work. Went to his condo and we hung out with some heavy flirting and light groping. It seemed like he was going to kiss me, and I wanted him to, but then he stopped and told me he didn't want to kiss because it would get too hot and he didn't want to start something that would have to end in an hour. Everything about our courting and interaction was not my usual MO but I just kind of went with the flow because it was fun and exciting. After I left, he texted me how much he enjoyed my company and how turned on he was by me. He came over later that same night because his work got canceled. Still he wouldn't kiss me and when I tried to he dodged me and explained he wanted to take it slow. He continued his explanation by telling me he was now switching to night shifts so we probably won't be able to have our usual nightly phone calls. Uh huh. Everything about this scenario from day one was new to me. The way we met, the phone sex and now the mixed signals, the rejection of my kiss and the story about his work was clearly a brush off. I told myself I'd see how it goes the next few days. The next day (which was this past Sunday) we exchanged a few texts that I initiated. Monday he texted me first. I asked him when his night shift was starting and he said end of the week. As a joke, I textd back "well it was nice knowing you" and followed it with a "just kidding". Tuesday nothing all day, I finally texted that evening which led to several texts that ended because he was going to bed early. He made a sexual comment which I replied with "here we go again".

So it's friday now, basically the texting, the phone calls, the momentum came to a halt. Clearly if he wanted to, he can make time for me, as he did before, regardless of his work schedule. So I find it hard to believe we lost momentum do to his work schedule. He and I are pretty straight forward people and I could accept him telling me he doesn't see it working out. I'd rather him tell me than give me the cold shoulder. I have my idea of whats going on but I wanted to hear it from your perspective. I'm thinking I should just leave it alone and not initiate communication anymore. But I also want to hear it from him if somethings up. The obvious reason here seems that he's moving on because he thinks maybe he won't be getting laid, but that contradicts with him dodging my kiss. Maybe he realized something about me that he didn't like. That is fine and totally acceptable, I just think he should be clear with me about it. Is his lack of initiation to communicate his way of being clear with me? What do you think? Thanks!