I can't comment on whether your opponent was playing mind games with you, since I don't know either of you.
Personally, I'm a slower player OTB in tournaments, and I often play against people who make quick moves, then fidget, etc. I don't deliberately play slower, but I keep it in mind as something that I could potentially use to my advantage.
My thought is that it's my time; if I dig a hole for myself early by using it up, then my opponent is welcome to take advantage of it through solid play. If not, that's their problem.
It's your job to improve in your weak areas; it's your opponent's job to exploit them.
I'm not suprised a tactician would spend much time on quiet openings. He or she will probably try look what the best way is to spice things up, and this is not easily done in a quiet opening.
This happens to me in blitz. When my opponent plays super-solidly, I lose much time trying to make something happen.