<human>: Can you provide a brief rundown of the text in within 3 sentences?

Alright, a little backstory here:

In August, I was dumped. I had been in a relationship for over a year, and can honestly say that I'm still in love with my ex. I'm still taking the whole break-up pretty badly because it came as a surprise to me and I'm still having trouble coping with it. Things are still a little hopeful in that part of my life, so I try to stay optimistic that maybe we'll get back together sometime in the future.

Anyway, my coworker asked me out on a date and I kindly said yes. Part of me was like, "why not? We have lots in common, it might be good for me to go out." The date was fun, just your classic dinner and a movie. 

At the end of the night, I was very honest to him about me not being ready for anything at the moment. Which he took very well. He knows a little of my backstory and is aware that I'm not ready to be dating. So I gave him an innocent smooch on the cheek and said goodnight.

The thing is, my friend (and also coworker) tells me that he has strong feelings towards me. I don't want to get his hopes up by continuing to go on dates, and I don't want to feel obligated to do so just because he likes me a lot. After much thinking about how the date went, I came to the conclusion that I only see him as a friend. I don't want to friendzone him and make things awkward at work. But my friend (and also his friend/coworker) tells me that I should be open and even try to be more physical with him the next time we possibly go out. I don't really feel too comfortable with that option.

So my question is, how can I let him down easy without making things at work awkward between us? I have no intention of quitting my job over this situation either.
<bot>: I don't have any romantic feelings toward my coworker, how can I let him down easy and avoid awkward work encounters?