Hi Bros and Siss, and thanks for the time reading and possibile advice you’ll give me.

I’m a 31M manager in a big chain convenience store in Edinburgh, Italian expat since a couple years, speak a good English, dress very well for my role, quite the charmer, tall, blue eyes and, i’ve been told, handsome. She’s a 30F customer of my store, from an African country, here from 14 years, no accent, curvaceous, beautiful, dress so well, works in sales, lives close to the store.

I first met her 6 months ago, I was doing tills and we got each other’s attention when I served her, but nothing then happened except we both looked at each other in an intense way.

She comes back 2 minutes later, with a couple of sweets, and waits to be served by me. Bit of flirt, she says she loves sweeties and she can’t stop it (she’s THICC ) and I say that she don’t have to stop eating sweets, and that me being italian I can’t refrain by telling her how good she looked. She was flattered, chatted a bit more says she comes in the store everyday, but by then I had customers in line and couldn’t chat any longer.

I’ve looked for her in store for months, regretting not to having asked her out or her number, eventually loosing hope to see her again. Boy, what an idiot i’ve been for not asking her out there and then.

A few days ago, 5 minutes before closing, someone behind me calls me and, surprise surprise, it’s her. I ask: “is it really you? Sweetie lover?” She smiles and she knows I remembered her straight away.

Flirt a bit, she’s game, I say I’ve been looking for her all over for so long, bits and bobs, then I asked if she wanted to go out for a drink with me, as soon as this is all over. She gave me her number.

Chats for a couple days, I’m free today, she is up to meet, on a different topic she asks me if I live near the store, chat a couple more days, yesterday I ask what she wants to do today, if she likes spirits or beer, she dodges the question but says she don’t drink much.

Today she sends me this message, literally: “hey Nick, afternoon now 🙈. I hope you’re well. Nick, I realized I failed to mention this earlier and I don’t want to lead you on but I am in a relationship with someone. He just doesn’t live in Edinburgh. I hope we can still be friends though…. 🙈🤦”

Now this is where I need advice, on how to make sense of her message.

-I think she may be telling me she doesn’t want to go out anymore, but then why she tells me her boyfriend lives away?

-I think she may be suggesting a carnal relationship,given the emojis and the “….” at the end of the message. She uses emojis but no dots usually

I believe the attraction is there and is reciprocal because she accepted to meet for a drink, gave me her number and in both the occasions we met in person we had a good flirt, and by the way she looked at me I feel we’re deeply attracted to each other.

I am not looking for any relationship type in particular, I keep my mind opens and hopefully I will find a partner for the future, I think this happenes naturally when you find the right person, not asking someone to marry you at first date or after a week.

I hope I won’t be judged but I would still go out with her and see what happenes, she may not actually have a boyfriend, or may be in an open relationship, she may want to just have fun, or anything on general, I would be honestly open to discussion if that was the case, and even more honestly I would bang her brains out all night, respectfully though, if that’s what she wants.

Please help me Nick

-edit forgot to mention she asked if I lived close by

-edit thanks to those who explained what “lead me on” means. Appreciated.

I am really interested in her because we really had a strong vibe in person, and I am always been a great boyfriend blessed with almost always long lasting relationships and good feedback.

I’ve edited the post multiple times with more details, may be worth reading again.

I am so conflicted with her because, even though I am quite experienced sexually, having had around 25 partners, I’ve only had this vibe with 3 other women before, and in all 3 occasions it was the best sexual experiences/relationships I’ve had.

What would be a good reply, to let her know I am still interested in going out, that I can keep my mind open, and I really want to see what happen, (withouth hinting at her cheating, and either that I am interested in being “just friends” in a literal way?)