I've felt something like this in a way. But not quite the same.
He was dubbed cute store guy. That is what I referred to him as, and called him. He had a name which I knew of later on as we had a mutual friend.
I first spoke of him to my brother when I went to the store and saw the guy working there a couple times.
I walked into the house one time and my brother asked me where I was. I told him "Ah yeah man I went to the store, and got something. There is a cute store guy who works there".
He responded "Really? So did you have sex with him"? (Brother's and their jokes, gotta love em
) I responded "Yeah, we did it right then and there while he was working in the store, what seriously"? (Alright I have a weird sense of humor too). He asked me what my point was and I said verbatim. "Nothing. He's a guy. He works at the store. He's a cute store guy".
He responded... "A cute store guy? What are you just going to keep calling him that? He probably has a name, why don't you ask him what his name is next time you go to the store"? I essentially told him, he works there, he is at work, I am shy and I was not going to ask him his name.
Then I told my brother, "I don't need to know his name, he is just eye candy, he's a cute store guy, I'm not going to marry him, have a story book romance and bear his children, he is eye candy that's it".
My brother commented on how horrible the terms eye candy sound, by stating that I made it sound like he's a piece of meat. At that time I got a bit tired of standing there talking to my brother and told him "Look man females understand this, it's like when you see a hot chick". He responded "Yeah but that sounds like you're degrading him". At which Point I said with determination. "Yeah well I've declared him cute store guy. He doesn't know it yet, but that is now his name".
My brother laughed when I said that.
My point is, it has happened exactly as I told my brother it would. I didn't marry cute store guy, we've never had a story book romance, and I am 100 percent positive I didn't bear his children.
I never expected anything from it other than what it actually was. The guy looked good to me. I had a period of going to the store often, he seemed very nice, I talked to him a couple times, and seeing him sorta made me light up- but it wasn't just his appearance, he for the most part seemed very easy going, and pleasant. Like a bit of an uplift.
And I felt love for him. Not like the same way you may be talking I'm unsure, can't exactly tell by what you said, to be honest, it sounds a bit like Lorelyen suggested, infatuated.
I honestly loved him for being a nice person. We weren't best friends, or soulmates, and we sure weren't going to fall in love and get married.
But he was generally a nice person, with a good smile.
Most certainly not a piece of meat.
But to this day I still call him cute store guy, and if I saw him at that old store he worked, or anywhere else, I'd be happy.
It could be worse, he could have felt something back, and it may not have been what I wanted- or we could have had a short lived relationship that ended for whatever the reason and there would be one, because simply, looks are not enough.
Perhaps ask yourself what it is you really feel for this person? Personally a soulmate is the last thing from my mind upon first seeing or meeting someone. It takes a level of time and trust for that, at least it does for me.
Perhaps you could try asking his name? And go from there.
Linear Mode
