Advice on relationship?

I finally let him cross out of the friend zone when, in mid-April, I realized that I refused to even attempt a relationship with anyone nearby because I felt like I would be cheating on him. It was an emotional night, and we've been together lovingly ever since. It's been about a month and a half now.

The problem is that I feel lonely. In none of my relationships, I've actually been in contact with my boyfriend. But this time, it is different. We actually have a plan to meet up that can and will work. But that's not good enough. I've never truly felt safe. Not in over a decade. What I truly yearn for is just to be hugged... to actually feel safe once in my life. I feel I can wait for him though, but a small part of me is unsure.

Now the reason I actually said all of this:
What should I do? I'm in a good relationship online that would probably go off real well in real life. But there are other possibilities. There are other guys living in the same city I live in, but the guys I've met, despite their words (I'll keep you safe, etc.), it just seems they just want a good fuck. I'm still a virgin, and for some paranoid reason, I want to keep it until it's with that right person. What should I do?

tl;dr - Kept my current bf in friend zone for a while; relationship is long-distance; asking for advice

(goes before previous post)

FRIEND ZONE

We've all been there before. It's painful as hell and near impossible to get out of without something drastic happening. But... honestly, I have kept someone who I love and who loves me in the friend zone. We've been friends for years.

Back towards the beginning of the year, near early-to-mid February, that's when I learned his feelings for me (I had gotten out of my previous relationship in early January). He was always sweet, caring, and there for me. (Also, I'm gay, but not a fag.) He seemed pretty much perfect for me. He could come to /b/ and authentically not be an newfag. But I digress...

For months, I kept him in the friend zone, partly because I wasn't ready, and partly for another reason I'll say later. He would talk to me every day online as soon as possible, and we would talk until one of us would have to go for some reason. But despite all of that... I still kept him in the friend zone, and I felt horrible for it.

Now for the problem: He lives in Virginia. I live in Arizona. It's not exactly like I just walk next door to meet with him. Part of the reason I kept him in the friend zone for so long was because we lived so far away. I've been in two previous long-distance relationships, and I just got hurt in the end.