Known a girl 4 years. She's a "sweet" type. Recently become quite close again. She has some trust issues after a few bad breakups in the past but always says how much she trusts me and all that. I like her a lot more than just friends. I've come to the thinking that now I don't care about the friendship, I want to go after this girl. (And no, this isn't a one-itis type thing, although I do like her a lot and it could lead into a relationship. But if she isn't interested and even if the whole friendship goes tits up, then so be it. I've got other girls on the go at the moment for fuck buddy purposes and the like.)

Is the best thing to do just be honest with her? Not in a wimpy way, but just put it out there. Say something like "look I like you more than friends, I want you and I'm going to do what it takes to get you." (Maybe something a bit more poetic than that!)

I sort of think trying to 'game' your way subtly from friend to boyfriend is unlikely to happen - after 4 years is it going to take more than subtle?

don't think of it like it's some sort of deal where you just say XYZ and now she either belongs to you or doesn't belong to you, it's just too much pressure, instead of just telling her you like her and seeing what happens, show her you like her, start flirting with her, start being more affectionate, and sleep with her, if you keep sleeping together she will just eventually ask you out

if you want that big ''what to say'' thing, then let that thing be you just hitting her up like normal and asking her on a date, let her be aware that it's a date and flirt with her

turning long time friendships into romances can be pretty tough since the other person already is used to you being friendly with no sexual intention, so all of a sudden being flirtatious and different to get her aroused can seem sort of out of character, and an a-sexual nature creates no sexual tension, it's that anticipation that things are leading up to sex that creates that desire for it to happen, and friendships that are years old have pretty much dried that anticipation up unless you've been flirty the whole, it's all the fun and flirting and touching that gets you there not one big heart on your sleeve ''I LIKE YOU, DO YOU LIKE ME TOO'' moment, and if you try to just all of a sudden be flirtatious with someone who has known you for a long time and isn't comfortable with that, it can seem really incongruent with who they think you are, so that is your challenge, to change how that person thinks about hanging out with you and make it normal to be arousing

also a girl who has already slept with you is way more likely to want to be your gf, then a girl who hasn't

I agree with pumpington that there won't be a specific moment where you can just turn around and say "I actually like you as more than a friend, do you like me?"

But at the same time - and I'll caveat this at the beginning by saying I have got no experience myself, this is just my thought on the matter - I think one of the better ways to make someone interested in you is to signal your intent. It's a fine line between showing intent and coming off as needy. You can show a girl that you're interested (look at direct game principles) whilst still maintaining that the girl isn't the most/only important thing in your life. And generally, if a person knows that you are interested in them, you will spark curiosity in them and they have more chance of becoming interested in you.

So I wouldn't go out and make that big heartfelt statement, but I think you can just say it clearly that you are interested in the girl. As long as you don't make a big deal out of it. And as long as you then continue the friendship in the same way, but just more flirty and with more sexual undertone. Don't go completely soppy and romantic on her or she'll be freaked by how her friend has changed. But don't just carry on as if nothing has happened and you're still friends. Simply telling her you are attracted to her in a casual off-the-cuff manner, and then amping up the flirtation and attraction building progressively is probably the best way to go, I would say.