Could the only reason you fell in love with your friend be that you were denied benefits?

I'm thinking of 2 who I was very close to. In one case I found myself feeling like I was falling in love with her sometimes. I never confirmed what those feelings were about. My latest idea is that it was because she didn't do FWB.
I also had another friend who I cared a lot about but never felt for a second that I wanted her as my gf. And our friendship was the kind that couldn't possibly be maintained unless we were both single. Maybe that's the difference. Going there killed the love or the ILLUSION of love.

Yeah I've heard about catching feelings. I don't think it's ever worked that way for me.