Very strange friendship/attraction situation

Allright everyone, my situation's real strange but please bear with me, and if you can, help me try to figure this out.

I have a lady friend who I have been attracted to for several months. (Same age as I: 20) I really want to become closer friends with her, not lovers, because I have chosen a celibate life (at least for now, possibly for life). She also is not dating currently and will not spend time alone with a boy because she wants to devote her time and energy to missions and not be 'lured' into a relationship. Still, I try to find any chance I can to see her because we're both busy with school a lot...I get to see her once every two weeks, sometimes once a week and only during parties or church gatherings. But whenever the day gets closer that I expect to see her, I start thinking about her a lot, and then when I finally see her, there is an overwhelming sense of joy that rushes into me. I converse with her and act myself(though not too much...I don't want to be desperate), but I get this sense of awkwardness between us. She doesn't seem like she wants to run away, but I get this confused look as if she doesn't know what to say. I look her in the eyes and smile, which is how I normally communicate that I like [as friends] someone, and she gives me this big "nod" with no facial expressions--strange. She doesn't seem to mind being around me, working together, and talking, but when we do it just 'seems' awkward...like something's not being said. I have told her before that I felt romantic feelings for her but have said no to them for the sake of my own celibacy and an expectation-free friendship (she didn't respond likewise; she never expressed the polarity of her own feelings for me).

There is something that is inhibiting a more natural conversation between us and I don't know what it is. 1) Maybe it's just me and I'm reading too much into it. 2) Maybe she's seeing through to my hidden nervousness [ie AFC] and is scared off by it. 3) Maybe she's attracted to me and is nervous about it. 4) She feels nothing for me but is completely confused and insecure about what I want

Beats me. But I'm trying to find the appropriate situation where we can talk about it. My question to ladies: [poll] Do you think it's appropriate to discuss romantic feelings with a male friend...or is that just a big turnoff[as in 'scare away'?]

Another interesting piece of information was that I wanted to hug her before we left. I was going to ask her (because I had scared off a girl who I hugged without asking the week before; I didn't want it to happen again). I wanted to give her a high five first but she reached over and gave me a hug for the first time ever. The human contact [NON-SEXUAL!!!!] was very nice.