Finally opening up

Hi! I never been the type to trust ANYONE especially men cause my mother taught me at a early age not too because they only want that one thing and one thing only. And even though im only 16 my body says something totally different so i have to push away a lot of guys because they make it obvious about what they wanted. But i have this boy and he always only been a friend to me for a good year and half and he told me on new years how much he really liked me and that he accepts the fact that i want to stay a virgin for a while and all he wants is me too be his girl friend so he could love me (btw hes 18) and i feel that hes genuine in his feelings but i just keep pushing him away ig out of habit, what should i do?