What did he mean? There was a question. He was apparently trying to propose without actually having to take the risk of proposing first.
He shifted a little where he sat, turning so that he was facing her more directly. “I am struggling, I am fighting against my own better judgement. I should have proposed before now, and I’m not delaying because I don’t want to, I really want to. I’m delaying because I don’t know if it will make you very uncomfortable, maybe you would prefer to do things your way. It’s just that way makes me uncomfortable. Maybe I’ll get used it, in time. Right now it feels... backwards.”