Does friends with benefits ever work out?

I always see people saying it never does. So here's the quick question (I put the backstory below if you're interested): From y'alls experience, does it always end poorly? Like one person wanting more or having a falling out? Should we just hit it and quit it to get the sexual tension out of the way?

Here's the story: I got a friend who moved away awhile ago. Before he left we did got to making out and getting handsy but stopped before we had sex and never talked about it. Just ignored it like it never happened. He comes to visit every once in awhile and ya girl shot her shot last night and let's say things went pretty good ;) I asked him when he was coming into town, he kept playing dumb like why you want me to visit so bad? I responded with something I thought would be obvious like why don't you come and find out ;) anywho, he didn't get it and I was getting impatient so I straight up told him I wanted dick. He asked if I was for real, like yeah dumbass. He told me to send something so he knew I wasn't playing but I'm gonna be honest, with all the passing around of nudes I wasn't really about it so I said no (he tried asking again later but nah). It was getting hot and heavy with the sexting, I will say I'm always the one making the first move which is kind of a turn off because I like it when both people do, but like it's so obvious that he's into it and wants me to do something so I'll roll with it if that's what he likes. We're planning on meeting up when he's in town and I'd love to make it a thing but again, I'm not about to fuck around if it inevitably is going to end poorly.