I was once in a situation where two companies were interested in hiring me, and when the hiring manager for one of them found out I had nibbles from elsewhere, he said he didn’t want to make me an offer until I was absolutely sure that his company was the place I really wanted to work for.

Translation: “I don’t want to get caught in a bidding war for you.”

I went with the other company, which was, in fact, the place I really wanted to work for.