I think I am in love with my best friend and dont know what to do with the info I have.
Im 23 (M), I know this girl 22 (F) for 3 years I guess, we ended becoming best friends the first day we met. At first I really liked her as a friend, she was like my twin soul, bonding on things we both liked, shared and the way we think, at the time she had a boyfriend so I didnt think much of it and some time after I started dating another girl. She broke up with her boyfriend, I was dating and didnt give much time to be with my best friend.
Eventually she started dating aswell and to this day she is with that guy still, terrific guy btw. Even when we were dating, when we were together we just shined, we like to be with each other alot and we play with each other in a way my gf at the time and her bf would be jealous. I get it. Now im single, my ex didnt like the way she would talk or look at me and I get it but I think I like her for a good while now. I have been in a rut lately and she was always my rock, we were always there for each other. Lately we would talk more and more about how we find each other attractive and that we are so compatible even in personality, we even playfully flirt most of the time and we admitted to each other that if neither were dating that it would be hard to control and not go he next step, but when one was single the other was not. But she says even if she was single she is afraid of dating me because if things didnt go well she would be afraid of losing me forever. I can understand to some degree but we only have on life.. if we were both single I would risk it. Even my family members and friends of ours would ask me if there was something going on between us or asking why we arent together when we met and when she was single.
She is loyal to her bf and I respect their relationship and we are still friends but I cant stop feeling like this and by her tone and the way she acts around me (always grabbing me, hugging my arm, kissing sometimes my neck, sitting next to me but faced to me and leaning on my shoulder and etc..) I think she feels the same way. Should I just go no contact for a good while? She is the only one who understands me fully but I dont want to ruin their relationship.