Age Gap Situationship “Breakup”

I could use some advice.
I was seeing a guy “casually” but for a year and a half. There is a 21 year age difference; he’s 54 and I’m 33. We started out as friends and then it turned romantic. He was in the process of getting divorced because he was cheated on (his ex is 16 years younger than him). Every time the subject of commitment would come up, he would immediately get uncomfortable and change the subject. He never wanted to talk about commitment, the future, or his feelings for me. I always made it clear that I had feelings for him. I don’t have a lot of dating or relationship experience and he always made comments about how I need to experience life more. He also made comments throughout our involvement about how the age difference isn’t so much of an issue now, but will be in the future. He doubted that when I was 50 and him 70, that I would still feel the same.
About a month and a half ago he finally admitted that he does have feelings for me and that it would hurt if I got impatient and found someone else. He also expressed jealousy about another man showing me attention at work. But he said he still isn’t ready for a commitment yet.

In January he said he didn’t feel comfortable sleeping with me anymore because he wasn’t sure about how he felt and he didn’t want to lead me on. But he stayed in contact and we tried to be friends, but then after a month fell back into our old routine.

Two weeks ago we got into a discussion about the future and he told me he didn’t see things being long-term between us, that it probably has something to do with the age difference and he only thinks of me as a friend. But he told me that he wanted to take a pause on things between us and didn’t want to “end it.” Shortly after, he told me he had a date with someone his own age. After finding that out, I told him that I thought it was best if we parted ways, because I wasn’t going to wait around.
He brought back some of my stuff the other day and told me that I need to go out on dates and go live life and “who knows what the future will bring.” And that if he’s in the picture then I’ll never give someone else a chance because I tried to back peddle and expressed that I still want to see him, even if casually. He kept trying to spin the situation saying that it is what is best for me and that I will thank him when I realize.
The bottom line is that I want him back and I’m not sure what to do. My gut is telling me that he’s just scared to give this a chance and that he’s trying to leave me before I have the chance to leave him. He did say that he still wants us to be friends and that I can always call him if I ever need anything.
What should I do now, is no contact a good idea in this scenario?