Well if she’s single and unattached, don’t let the presence of a kid scare you off.
Damn that Jake!
If she’s working under you, I’m guessing you don’t need to ask her out. 
Am I the only one who’s more likely to be into someone if they occupy a niche in their life? If I’m put on the spot where it’s a date-date, it generally feels all like an uncomfortable job interview. But if they’re your friend first you can kind of relax and get to know them in a no pressure situation. And usually I need that kind of time before my attraction is piqued.
So you don’t know if you’re going to sleep with a guy in the first five minutes?
Um, I don’t want to hijack the thread (because I do think you should ask her out, Do Not Taunt), but how can you say something like this after you just gave me a hard time in my previous thread about a guy who friended me on Facebook and said “Let’s grab a beer sometime!” without meeting each other first? Sure, it’s not a date, 'cause we’re two straight dudes, but it’s the closest thing to a man-date that will ever exist, and the rules of society are still in effect. I felt put on the spot by him asking me to have a beer with him without being friends first, just like you would be if it happened to you, according to this post. Hypocritical much?
I’ve never been attracted to someone before getting to know them, so no, you’re not alone.
Never hang your hat where you buy your meat.
I vote no. She’s at work to work, not to be hit on. She’s being friendly and professional, presumably because she’s professional. This doesn’t mean she’s into you.
Of course, if you bump into her *outside *work sometime, why not say hi and see if she’s got time to grab a coffee…
Same here. When I was younger, the idea of someone asking me out on a date made me a bit sick (okay, still does, but now I’ve settled down with someone). I’m not incredibly social, so the idea of one-on-one time with someone I barely know just stresses me out. It can’t help that my town/generation didn’t really do one-on-one dates growing up. Whatever the rules are and whatever anyone says about the ‘friend zone’*, my instinct even without a partner was always to say ‘No.’ That’s just my knee jerk reaction, to look for an excuse out of it.
And my litmus test has always been sense of humor. If I haven’t seen his, and he doesn’t appreciate mine, there’s just no point in spending any time together. So it’s a bit of a Catch-22, having trouble spending time with people if you don’t know them and not knowing them enough to spend time with, but that’s whyI don’t have any embarrassing blind date stories!
*My SO and I were platonic friends for years before the spark started, and I’ve always felt that any guy who doesn’t want me as a friend isn’t right for me, anyway.
Same here. I am a big fan of being friends first.
People will usually be friends with people they don’t find attractive simply because it’s pointlessly rude to refuse to even be friends with someone just because you’re not attracted to them, but that doesn’t mean friendship kills attraction!
Being a guy and been in relationships with coworkers and seen friends in relationships with coworkers I have seen the good and bad. But personally the “I waited to long” approch is laughable - the coworkers I went out with were / became friends before and after the relationship so the general rule is ask but be straight forward and if they say no - dont push it and dont stop talking to them as if they offended you.
Married for…checks the math…13 years to a woman who was my co-worker when we started dating.
Our boss at the time warned her against dating her co-workers and said it was generally a bad idea. We were later invite to his wedding – to one of his subordinates.
The fact that we worked together when we met is probably the least important thing about our life together; we hardly ever think or talk about it.
Same here. We still sort of work together (different departments that interact a lot). Going on 14 years now.
In fact, there is a lot of that here. Dosen’t seem to cause any problems.
I married a co-worker also (in fact, I could hit him from here with a rubber band if his door wasn’t shut). We’ve been married a little over five years now.
I don’t know, I guess I just didn’t see that as a date. It seemed like hanging out. Though I suppose technically a first date could just be hanging out. I don’t really mind hanging out with someone that I could eventually be interested in. When all the “rules” of dating come into effect, like how you’re supposed to have sex after the third date or it’s all off, that all just seems too formal. But just grabbing a drink with someone seems low pressure if there’s no dating…formula.
Well, that is anti-climactic. I say just send an email and don’t worry about it. 
Oh, no, Do Not Taunt!
I’m sure now she got married and moved away and had three kids and died. 
At least this is how the single Joe Kerrman brain would have been running at this point. Thankfully Mrs. Kerrwoman had the nerve to tell me I looked hot in my llifeguard uniform all those years ago. 
You could just mention her by full name here, and then if she ever vanity searches her name, Google will ask her out for you. Mention your name too, of course, and which department you’re from just in case.
Ask her today or [del]we’ll[/del] you’ll have to wait all weekend!
I’m just kidding, it’s up to you of course. But inquiring minds want to know how it goes…
Let me tell you what everybody else hasn’t: If the girl is hot, that means somebody else up the food chain likes her, too (married or not doesn’t matter, of course). OK-she doesn’t want to go out with you. What does she do? She shows the email to Ms./Mr. Blabbermouth. The two of them have a good laugh. Mr. Hot to Trot Boss hears about it. Looks at email. His view and HR’s view is that you are creating a hostile work environment.
You are now a sexual harassment offender, and unemployed.
Or, she doesn’t want to go out with you, and you’re the fifth person that asked her out today that she didn’t want to ask her. Enough is enough. She goes to HR, and shows them the email. HR has a ‘no tolerance policy’ on sexual harassment. They decide not to fire her…hmmmmm…who can they fire?
You are now a sexual harassment offender, and unemployed.
Yes, I know a good lawyer can get you your job back, but, go to the phone book and look under ‘Attorneys" and see how many specialize in ‘Getting Fired for False Sexual Harassment Charges’.
These are the best of the worst case scenarios-there are myriad others, and none of them are good. Emails are what lawyers and spies call ‘paper trails’. A face to face conversation is something that you can call "my word against hers.’
Of course, this girl is special, and won’t have a meltdown, but, I’m just saying what could happen if it was a girl that you knew very little about.
Best wishes,
hh