17 signs your boss secretly has a crush on you

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Has your boss been complimenting you more frequently? Have they been texting you on the weekend? Do they laugh at every joke you tell — even the lame ones? If you're nodding to all of the above, then they just might have feelings for you.

"It can be difficult to tell whether someone has a crush on you or if they're just being extremely nice, so I caution anyone in this dilemma to tread very carefully, as misinterpreting intentions could be embarrassing for both parties, and even career-damaging," says Michael Kerr, an international business speaker and author of "The Humor Advantage."

But you should look for the signs that it may be a full-on crush "because that could end up having extremely negative implications on your work," he says, and you'll want to do something about it before things get really awkward.

Here are 17 signs that your boss may have a crush:

1. You have a gut feeling

Most people will give their managers the benefit of the doubt at first, but sometimes there's an inner voice telling you that something between you two feels awkward, says Lynn Taylor, a national-workplace expert and leadership coach and the author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant."

She says:

Gut instincts aren't whims. They're your subconscious on steroids. It's putting hundreds of facts together, with the ultimate result being an emotion or physical feeling — in this case, of discomfort or irritation. If you're unhappy or angry about the situation, you're right.

2. They flirt

Kerr says:

Carefully observe how the boss treats other colleagues before leaping to any conclusions. They may be a very effusive, gregarious person who simply behaves that way with everyone because they're a people pleaser. And even if your boss flirts with you from time to time, again, consider how they are with other colleagues — they may be a naturally flirtatious person who really means no harm.

And also consider your own actions. Are they flirting with you simply because you've been a little flirtatious with them? Be very cautious when interpreting someone else's intentions behind their actions.

And if you determine that you're the only one they flirt with, and it's not a result of your behavior toward them, then this is a strong sign they're crushing on you.

3. They regularly schedule private or late-night meetings

If you're occasionally asked to stay beyond normal business hours and have a legitimate joint project to work on, that's one thing, says Taylor.

"But if you start seeing a pattern of being singled out, and the meetings are always running late — or there are too many unnecessary private meetings — then your boss may be trying to go beyond a professional scope," she says.

Keep in mind that if you're uncomfortable with these actions and you continue to comply with these requests, things will get worse.