<human>: Can you condense the text into a few key points?

I (20M) and this girl (20F) are nearly best friends who met our first year at uni through mutual friends. At the time she was dating a boy until the beginning of our second year. During this year she and I became closer friends and kept it strictly there. However, after they broke up we became closer very quickly. I pursued for more but she said it was too soon and there were still complications with her past relationship, fair enough in my opinion but I knew there was potential.

Fast forward ~8 months, we became closer, go on friend "dates," confirmed there is mutual interest but nothing truly comes from it. Now I didn't completely pursue anything with her and just went with the flow. I did start to think she was using me and I bet she was but I allowed it.

To present day, she and her ex are still talking (not good, I know) but tells me she wants a new guy, from her hesitation and voice I assume she is talking about me. We are definitely not casual only-friends based on what we talk about, pictures she sends, how we act around each other and future plans we made for this next semester. She also get jealous of any other girl I go on a date with and nit-picks her to death when I tell her about these dates.

Now I would be lying to said I wouldn't like to date her and see potential in a solid relationship but I'm hesitant on dating my closest female friend. Also, I don't know if she is using me to fully get over her ex or really wants to date me for me. My plan is to ask her out on a date, and say the word date, the next time I see her. 

Now I ask you, what would you do in my place?
<bot>: I see potential arising with a close friend but not sure if her intentions are in my favor. What would you did in my situation?