Confusing age gap dynamic
Long story short I (M 24) is in a grad program in a major US city at a fairly competitive university, we started in the summer and I met a friend group that I vibed with and have been having a good time with for the past few months. There is this particular woman (F28) in said group and we share similar vibes and personalities and we do flirt with each other a bit and spend some quality time, we gone out to eat a few times, she was the first to initiate, I even invited her over and cooked her a homemade meal from our culture (hardly a day goes by without a text or conversation in person about whatever).
We know each other fairly well, and she's voiced positive remarks to me such as (I feel like we have similar thoughts, I enjoy talking to you, you'd make a great husband and father). Also she does show romantic interest, body changes, tone shift in voices, staring and physical contact that I don't see her doing much with other people (grabbing my arm, taps etc) she also asked me if I would date an older woman/ would be perfect for an older woman.
The only thing is that she voiced negative things about the age gap once directly when someone though we were dating. Also a few times after the fact she'd indirectly voice it, there was a time everyone was chilling in a study room she goes between me and another person and randomly starts talking about how she can't have a relationship with someone under 25, and also during an outing one time she implied that I don't ask her out. She does seem to have a more anxious like personality.
I'm comfortable staying friends like I have a good understanding of romantic attraction and take explicit things superfically like it's not my job to convince her to give a younger dude a chance, if she comes to that on her own great, if not I'm not holding out on something and am capable of maintaing a platonic relationship.
SO pretty much there is this woman who I have good chemistry and compatibility with we see eye to eye and enjoy each others presence and time, but she voiced enough of a hestiation for me to not put her in an awkward position and ask.
For what it's worth we share similar outlooks on relationships and from the same cultural and she mentioned her being traditional but in practice not so much.