Why doesn't my beardie like me?

I've had 2 1/2 - 3 year old Leaf the beardie for about a month now, and I try my best to at least make an attempt to handle him as daily as possible (but more realistically every other day because of school) but he is still so skittish and tries to run away whenever i go to pick him up, even though i've been hand feeding him every day since i got him, and bathing him every other week (he hates baths so i tend to put them off since it's such a tiring task)
He's allowed me to hold him a few times, but i feel like he probably doesn't have very much fun since my house isn't bearide-proof yet and i have to keep him in my lap or on the couch only, but he wants to run around so i had to keep grabbing him to keep him safe and not fall off of things or into things or run under things etc. Anyways, am i doing something wrong? Does it usually take so long for beardies to get used to someone? Should i back off and let him have his space for a few days? He has seemed particularly irritable the past few days and extra skittish and i think i probably annoyed him a lot by continuously trying to pick him up daily. (I've even tried picking him up and just holding him in his tank, so he can get used to me while still being in his own environment, but he still runs!) I even recently got him a bigger tank that opens in the front rather than on top, so i thought this would make it easier to bond with him, but he almost seems to have gotten worse. He doesn't hiss or bite, but he does try to lick me from time to time when i try to handle him, should i allow this to happen or should i try to not let him do that? Thank you so much for any and all help

It sounds like you're doing a fine job. He probably wasn't handled very much by his previous owner and just isn't accustomed to it. Just try putting your hand in his tank for a while and let him get used to that. Then gradually start stroking his back while he's still in the tank. This should help him get used to your hand and hopefully after a little while he won't run when you try to pick him up.

As for the licking, that's how beardies learn about their environment. It's very similar to how snakes smell with their tongues. So it's perfectly natural and you shouldn't be worried about it at all. My little guy licks everything - including my girlfriend's tongue once when she stuck it out at him.