Im suddenly in love with a friend, but not a best friend, what can i do

[JohnHenry]

This is going to be a little long.
Somehow i dont feel this is the typical friend zone problem, but im not sure. Ive known this girl for a long time, we were in college together but we never were more than just schoolmates and we really never fitted the friends description because we rarely talked more than we needed to, but we where always friendly to each other. After graduation we stopped seeing each other for more than a year.
Then we started working together. At this point is when we started to actually become friends, but i had her in the friends category for a long time, because i never actually felt anything for her, she is not my physical type and to be honest ive never found her atractive. She is not ugly but she is not a beauty in the traditional sense.We became better acquaintances and we can now be considered friends, but we are not best friends yet. Recently something hit me, i started seeing her more attractive, my perception of her changed , then I realized i was in love with her, but i wasnt sure where did i stand in the whole scheme of things, i mean, i didnt landed in the friend zone trying to be something more, it just happened.
She is shy, but a funny type of shy. She is shy and outgoing at the same time. She somehow overcompensates her shyness with behavior that seems too outgoing or bold, but somehow, fake. She doesn't have much experience in relationships and looks like shes been hurt, so maybe this explains that shield.It looks like she is afraid to depend on a relationship, and is lazy about it. She finds a way to get her attention in other things and not really bother about them but deep down she is a romantic and it shows if you know where to look. She doesn't take it kindly when strangers try to pick her up and even some friends she tells me they try to hit on her and that she doesn't like it. Not sure if this counts as talking about other guys, because actually they never achieve anything with her, and this topic is not comfortable for her, so we seldom talk about other guys, at least when its only the two of us. She acts like a kid most of the time she is with me and thought i like this i don't know how can i act around it.
I think im on a stage where if i dont make a move i could be in the friend zone stuckm but im not sure, because she looks like the type of girl that likes to take it veeery slowww. I ve decided that i want to risk the friendship, but not sure if its the right time or maybe because she is not the average girl, pressing for an answer may actually be bad for me. i dont know, Im used to less complicated girls and i dont have a problem seducing them, but this girl came out of the blue,and even thought she is not as pretty as the other girls i could easily date, i cant take her out of my mind and she is the only one who has made me feel something more than just sexual attraction. I need advice, I really dont know what to do. Thanks

[stephen]

From what i have read, sounds like you need to a good sit down conversation with this young lady. I would recommend getting away from tv and sorts of phone service. What i mean is having a full sit down discussion of everything you have with this gal. Let her tell you everything from her point of view and see where you are. Remember you both need to listen to one another and what they are saying. Just make the day about you to and no one else.

[Beagle]

John: I suspect you're making the situation more complicated than it actually is. We tend to develop an attraction for people we spend a lot of time with. It sounds like that is definitely going on. Sometimes people feel attraction but decide not to act on it due to practical considerations. The best way to address this is to gently bring up the situation, making sure to avoid any signs of pressuring her or making demands of her. The best way I have ever found is to just ask "Have you ever thought of us being more than friends?" If the answer is yes, you have a great way into a good conversation, like Stephen was talking about. If she doesn't feel that way about you, but values your friendship, it gives her a good chance to say "It's not a good idea."

This is the best route I've found anyway. Navigating out of the friend zone is tricky, and the best route I have found is to be honest but just a little indirect. That gives the other person a chance to back away without feeling rude or hurtful. If you try to play it like a typical date, then you risk offending her by crossing the boundaries of friendship. I agree with Stephen. This needs to be a conversation.

[JohnHenry]

Ive been thinking about going to talk with her, but, i read in another forum that if i really had any chance, confessing would actually destroy any little chance i had if there wasnt any attraction at all. The advice they recommended was to cut interactions with her for a while. Keep them to a minimum and essentially make her miss me. Let it be her the one that looks for me. And ive been thinking about doing that as well, but it sounds conflicting, some people tell me to be very subtle and slowly upping the physical contact, but then, going away from her for a while, makes sense, but somehow i have this gut feeling that she is not the type to fall for this type of tactic. What do you think.

P. S. And maybe im really complicating this more than it needs to be, but i think i fell hard for this one, specially since ive been in nothin but shallow relationships for the past 7 years and she is the first one to actually made me feel something more, so this is very important for me. Thanks.