what do i do about this

i split from a very volitile relationship last september, for safty i had to move to another county i started to settle and have made a couple of friends, but not long after moving here i met a man who works in a shop near me and we seem to have hit it off. he started to ask me questions like were i was from and were was my little ones dad so i told him little bits, over the months he has alwas stopped to chatter to me whenever i go in but recently i have been noticing that he has been dropping hints as big as the river nile that he likes me and wants to get to know me. allso other customers have started making the odd joviel comment such as "watching you two is better then eastenders" "you look cute together" " oh get a room already" the other day after one such comment he turned to me and said that he would like to talk to me properly and that he wanted to take me out but he understood that it would be difficult as i have no family to babysit so the only option was for him to come round to mine but that he did not want to presure me as he understood i have been through a rougth time and does not want to hurt or upset me but asked me to seriously think about it and let him know when im ready, all i could do was gawp at his back as he left me stood there feeling like a right lemon the whole episode completly nocked me sideways as i was not expecting him to do that as over the months of joviel natters with him i just thought he was being nice! i do like him and yes it would like to know him better but im abit cautious of being with anyone after what i have gone through i don't want to scare him off but im afraid and i don't know what to do

it's fine i understand (maybe a little bit) what are you going thru .
at this point i think you should talk to him and tell him that both of you should give some time to understand each other coz i you go into a relationship without understanding each other it can result into a blunder or a wonder who knows?
so just take your time n just try to know bout him from other sources too like people in locality,also what kind of image that guy has in society,etc
it will give you a relief and help you build a relationship of trust.
i think if there is not a bond of respect and if there is no trust then word relationship has no meaning.
so being cautious is not a bad thing.

thank you kammy, i don't feel like im losing the plot so much now. its funny you mention talking to others around him to find out about him as i had to go there this morn and he was not there his work friends and were both very eger to know the gossip of are we or arnt we, they were very helpful in telling me about him which has helped to ease my mind abit, he is well known loved and highly respected within his cummunity, and eveyone have been urging him to find happiness and settle down again as he has had failed relationship too. his parents want him to find someone he is happy with and then have lots of children as like me he is in his 30s so they want him to find a life partner soon