Unsure Of Where To Go From Here

First of all, hello everyone! I found this forum because I'm at the end of my wits and unsure what to do. I'm 20 years old and have been playing a back and forth sort of game with this guy for a few months.

It started back in Febuary, this guy, I'll call him Aaron, found out from an apparently loose liped friend of mine that I liked him. We're both sort of shy and awkward people, so it was a relief when he actually asked me out. We went on two dates that went relativly well, in my mind, and then a few days later we sat down and talked and he informed me he just didn't have time for a girlfriend right now, which I honestly understood because he was going to school full time and working full time as well, it doesn't leave a lot of time for anything else. I got a little panicky and therefor laughed it off and told him I was just fine being friends (I am) and apologized if I made him feel otherwise.

Anywho, of course I still have feelings for him. The reason I'm writing here is because I'm not sure what to do. He is out of school for the summer and we work together (I know work is/was not an issue with him, we have discussed it) and latly I seem to be reading signs that he may still be interested. Problem is I have low self esteem and that mixed with high hopes is a bad combination!

Basically the follow are the good signs-

-I notice that when he makes a joke he always watches me for my reaction, and usually does a double take, as in we'll joke around and he'll walk off, then turn back and smile at me.
-He pulled me off my work position the other day, so I could help him zone (basically we stood around and talked, while straigtening shelves), I went out to help clear the lot today and he went with me.
-He texted me last night and asked if I would want to go to lunch with him
-He texted me randomly the other day with a little poem, but he never responded when I sent him a question about it. The next day he told me "Oh yeah, I just thought you would appreciate it, but I got your text and was so into my video game I just didn't feel like responding to anyone"
-We pick on and tease eachother alot, but when he thinks I'm seriously hurt, he makes sure to correct himself and let me know he's just teasing (went as far to text me after we had parted ways the other day). He also lets me tease him about things more than he'll let others tease him. Oh and he admittably says things just to see my reaction.

So I guess this would be pretty obvious, but I have some things that are holding me back, such as our previous conversation, I don't know if he just wasn't interested and just thinks I'm a really good friend, or if he was really just busy and worried about being strapped for time. I can't read him that well. My friends seem to think he's interested, but a another coworker of mine (also a guy, who did once tell me he liked me and I kindly told him he was just a friend, but has always been completly honest and open with me) thinks that Aaron is just too confusing, and isn't interested.

I want to tell him I like him, I was thinking about telling him that I still like him, but I'm cool with being friends, I just needed to tell him for me, and to get it off my chest. I'm just terrified that it might mean I scare him off as a friend too.

Sorry for the length, I just don't know where to go to get an honest opinion. Thank you very much :)