How to reject a guy that's in love with you - nicely

[Thegirl]

So, i've been flirting a bit with this guy i work with - innocent flirt, nothing seriously. He's cute and funny, but it's not like I .... you know.... like him? He's in my - what MTV would call "the friend zone".
So, this saturday he asked me over for dinner, i said yes, and he had made a huge 3 course meal and dressed up nicely - just for me. So there i stood, in my jeans and t-shirt feeling really akward, and then i realized - wow, this guy is in love with me.
So my best friend is a friend of him too, so she asked him out about me, and it turns out he is MADLY in love with me and talks about me ALL the time - but he is a shy guy, so he is not telling me anything......

So my dilemma is - i like him AS A FRIEND, and nothing more than that! I have to work with him for the next year.. how do i tell him that i don't like him, without breaking his heart and make all my friends mad at me?

- do i slowly fade the "relationship" out?
- do i confront him directly?
- do i ignore him?
- do i write him?

please help - thank you

[IndiReloaded]

Sounds like you led him on and then accepted his dinner date. What did you think it meant?

How did the dinner go? In particular, how did it end? So much depends on that.

[smackie9]

Confront him directly.......After work pull him aside and tell him that you are very flattered for his effort to impress you BUT you don't see him as someone in a romantic sense. Then apologize (just for his sake) that if you gave him the wrong impression that you were interested that you are real sorry that it wasn't intentional. Do not say we can be friends or only see him as a friend...that will crush him.

Next time when a guy asks you out, or to hang out or invites you for dinner....it's a date. Please decline if you are not interested in them romantically. Tip: Guys make an effort to hang out with you or pay attention to you means they have an interest in you.....please be aware of this, guys don't just want to be your friend. Please read the ladder theory.

Oh and stop flirting with guys you have no intention of sleeping with....like just cut it out! or you will earn a rep as being a co ck tease.

[smackie9]

It shouldn't be thegirl but badgirl.

[surfhb]

So, i've been flirting a bit with this guy i work with - innocent flirt, nothing seriously. He's cute and funny, but it's not like I .... you know.... like him? He's in my - what MTV would call "the friend zone".
So, this saturday he asked me over for dinner, i said yes, and he had made a huge 3 course meal and dressed up nicely - just for me. So there i stood, in my jeans and t-shirt feeling really akward, and then i realized - wow, this guy is in love with me.
So my best friend is a friend of him too, so she asked him out about me, and it turns out he is MADLY in love with me and talks about me ALL the time - but he is a shy guy, so he is not telling me anything......

So my dilemma is - i like him AS A FRIEND, and nothing more than that! I have to work with him for the next year.. how do i tell him that i don't like him, without breaking his heart and make all my friends mad at me?

- do i slowly fade the "relationship" out?
- do i confront him directly?
- do i ignore him?
- do i write him?

please help - thank you

Way to go in leading the poor guy on. Just tell him how you feel and next time dont be so addicted to some poor saps attention Jeesh!