And I need some time to sort out whether a confirmed bachelor such as myself wants to step in to this situation. She is ready to live. She has been dealing with death and illness for eight years. She is a little frustrated by my hesitance, but supports my cautious approach. On the other hand, I am not into screwing up a family that has endured ultimate stress.
Sex can mess everything up.
I promised my old friend that I would be there for his wife always, and I promised his wife and her boys that we would always be friends. And those boys don' t need someone else checking out on 'em. Be there for your old friend's wife and kids, take things slow and continue talking honestly with this woman about your feelings. You're not ready for this relationship to evolve into anything more complicated at the moment, but it's clear you have strong feelings for her. While she may be ready to move on now, it's clearly too soon after your friend's death for you to contemplate a romantic relationship with his widow.