Kat,

I thought you did have romantic aspirations since you mentioned how you felt jealous and sad when another woman flirts with him.  Plus you mentioned having a pang because you cannot hold his hand or kiss him  All of that indicates to me that you still yearn to be his romantic partner.

If you can get over that and the resentment then go ahead be friends.  Make sure that you and him know what that means for each of you, i.e. what are each of your boundaries.  Do you want to be this day-by-day, share everything type of friend?  Or a call-me-up-once-in-a-while to catch up type of friend.  Do you want to share each other’s new romantic interest?  Or not?  Good to set up the ground rules on what “being a friend” means to each of you.

Mark