Update:
This could get long (again), so I'm going to try and summarize.
I have not been initiating any contact, but she has been. My answers again were friendly, closed and short, but she wanted to meet to give me something, so I figured that I would just get that out of the way. Two days ago we set something up, but I cancelled. Last night we did get together at the place that we normally see each other. I had said that I would be there if time allows and got there about a half hour before close. She had sent me a few texts in the mean time, letting me know that she was getting ready, when she would get there and it was a couple hours before I arrived. She definitely had taken some time to primp. It was a small group and I went to pay my tab, was told she had already covered it. Hmm..
I ended up at her place and she gave me a nice bottle of whiskey as a gift and poured me a glass.
We talked as we used to, but there was certainly a different tone.
She commented that I hadn't noticed that she had curled her hair and she never does that.
She soon began hitting me with qualifying questions, but I kept my cool and think that I deflected pretty well. I'm not going to cover all of those. I turned a number of them back on her as well.
The conversation shifted to relationships and she began qualifying herself without any prodding from me.
As a"friend", I told her generally what I had going on recently, dating wise.
Referencing a pretty old conversation, she asked why I had been on dating sites before I was officially divorced and how could anyone be sure that you wouldn't do that to them in a relationship. Yeah, "anyone" being her. I get it with the last guy cheating.
Somewhere in there, she topped off my drink.
Then the questions regarding me not being around so much started.
I just told her that I had other things to do. On top of that I thought it best that we cool it a bit, and that I had almost declined coming over to her place. I also said that she was nice enough to buy me the whiskey and I didn't want to be rude.
She asked if me blowing hot and cold was part of cooling it. I said that the cool part was, but what's the big deal anyway?
Then, out it comes: She complimented me for being honest, said that it sort of bothered her that I was dating other women and she had found herself missing me.
Me "But we are friends"
Her "More than regular friends"
Me "Friends are friends"
Her "Maybe we are more than friends"
Me "I don't know, you were pretty clear with saying that all connections don't need to be romantic"
Her, after a flustered pause "maybe that was a bit harsh"
Me "Whatever. Your words"
I stood up, took my last swig of whiskey and said that I had to get going. As she walked me to the door, she told me about an outdoor, unplugged, live music, house party where people just show up and play. Her friend (girl) was going to be playing. It is this weekend and she asked me to go with her. As I stepped out the door, I told her to text me the times and I'll check if I'm free, but we should be cooling it.
She replied "Your words not mine" with a very sexy, head ****ed to the side smile. You know the look.
There was a whole lot of other ground covered that I could never detail here and its still a bit early to think that this has turned around. I'm going to play this out.