<human>: Give me a shortened version of the text

Before I start I'll just say that my place of work is fine with employees dating, and that I can deal with any consequences/awkwardness that a work relationship or break-up could bring about.

I've had a thing for a co-worker of mine for a while now. I let those feelings sit on the back-burner since he had mentioned a girlfriend to me in a conversation many months back.

The past few weeks though, we've been chatting more and more frequently at work and have found many common interests that we share and have had fun discussing during any down time we might have through the day. (I'll mention that our chats are via our internal work messaging program, not face to face)

We've discussed plans for upcoming weekends/holidays etc also. Through these conversations I tried to discern his relationship status. No mention was ever made of a girlfriend. He would mention spending time with his parents, or doing something with a friend or friends. So by that, I have a 95% confidence that he's currently available.

I'm fairly confident that there is a mutual attraction going on too. He invited me to an after work gathering of some other co-workers recently. I don't socialize at work much, and he had mentioned he hadn't ever seen me at any previous gatherings. I really enjoyed myself, but wasn't able to get him alone at all. And not to toot my own horn, but I think I'm pretty decent in the looks department...

I think my in with him might be at one of these gatherings in the future. BUT! Who knows when that will be? I've never been in a position where I wanted to ask a co-worker out. I'm curious how others have done it? Obviously I don't want to do it via chat at work...

The ideas I've come up with are, just giving him my phone number, or cornering him in the lunchroom sometime! Neither of which sound like very good ideas! I'm also pretty sure the last time I asked a guy out, I was 20. So I'm rusty and the whole idea of asking him out makes me ridiculously nervous!

Any suggestons/advice would be most appreciated!
<bot>: I have a thing for a co-worker who I think also has a thing for me, don't know how to make something more happen.