He pulls away whenever we get close. What's that about?
Closeness followed by distance is a sequence you can describe. The sequence alone cannot establish fear of intimacy or an attachment style. The useful question is what kind of contact each of you wants after a close moment.
Naming that sequence gives him a chance to explain his experience while leaving yours intact. You do not have to stay perfectly warm or withhold affection to manage a feeling that has not even been established.
The line you can send
I notice we have less contact after we get close. How do you experience that, and what rhythm would work for us?
Yours will sound different
Bring the message you keep rereading. The first reads are free, and nothing is sent to him.
Ask about mine