Search Results: if a girl has very little experience

A female friend of mine recently made it known that she has interest in me. I took her up on her offer and we went out. For the first couple of weeks she was definitely chasing me more than I was chasing her. After a while though, she stop chasing me almost completely and has always has excuses as to why she'd love to but is too busy to spend time with me. However, there has been hand holding and very long hugs initiated by her.

I was getting a little fed up so I finally asked her (gently) what was up. She was defensive at first but later said she is interested in getting to know me, and wants to trust me first, but has had a lot of bad relationships in the past (stalkers, physical abuse). She said she wants to learn more about me, but since then still the same excused.

I'm starting to think she's leading me on and just likes the attention. In addition to bad experiences with guys, she does have a new job she is trying really hard at and is taking up a lot of her time, but people make times for things they care about, right? If she really does have interest in me then what's stopping her from going to lunch me a couple times a month or a date night on the weekend?

I've already decided that I'm done initiating any contact with her for a while, but if she does contact me again or try to be alone with me at a group outing what do you think I should do? Should I reject anything attempts of hers to be romantic with me?

There is also the option of me asking out a mutual friend of ours. I was interested in this other girl before the current one, but she went overseas for the summer so I never asked her out. The problem is I like them both and I don't know what I'd do if the both became interested in a 2nd date. I don't want to hurt either of them, especially the girl who just came back from overseas, she is such a sweet and fun woman.