Gemini Male/Taurus Female

Posted this in the gemini forum, probably better posting here and getting the answer straight from the taurus's mouth haha

Anyway, I have three different questions - i'll try and make it as short as possible (I know everyone hates essays).

Background: I've recently gotten involved with a taurus female. I met her earlier in the year but she was involved with another guy. I kept around, purely plutonic and as a gem have always loved to talk and joke around. Fast forward a few months, that guy turned out to be a dick and we kept talking....Last month we were both at a party together, and one thing led to another and we hooked up (repeatedly).

The first few days after were great, she put down all her guards and was sending me cute txts and msgs, plenty of emojis - basically alot of good signals! and I responded in kind. However, it's not been about 2 weeks since and her behaviour has again changed. She's become quiet, still happy to make plans with me but the 'cute' behaviour that was there first has reduced alot.

As a typical gemini, I mean typical haha, i've sort of let it go and gave her space. I still try to be cute here and there but I don't want to smother her or do anything like that.

Q1: Any thoughts on what might be going through her head? What I may be able to do, i'd love to pursue this but caught in between wanting to let her do her own thing and honestly not knowing what caused a sudden change in her behaviour. PS. I haven't messed up hahaha

Q2: Before we hooked up, she was apparently interested to some degree about another guy who happens to be my friend. Long story short, he kept saying how interested she was and trying to make plans and stuff but for his own reasons he cut her old cold turkey. At this point, I honestly thought I was friend zoned so I had no intention of making a move on her but one thing led to another. I asked her about this, because it came up, and she said she is over him....but a little bit of me doesn't believe this. As a Taurus, have any of you been in this situation and what is a diplomatic way to handle it.

Q3: Kind of relates to Q1, how do I know she is still interested? The problem is I feel her friends may be asking her to slow it down a bit and she's listening. I don't have an issue with this except for I feel like it looks like one thing and is another. I mean Im happy to go slow as it takes, but I wanna know i'm putting in effort for something and not wasting time - I want her to be able to let her guard down with me and talk to me on a level that has more depth but I think she's playing it cool for the time being, any tips on how to break this down?

Have you tried just being straight with her? Ask her how she feels about you, maybe? She might have lost interest. It's a very Taurean thing and it DOES happen. One moment everything's fine and the next you don't know if you feel the same way anymore. It's pretty bad when it happens and we feel the guilt, too. You can't change the way someone feels.

She may have stopped being cute and open with you because as you see more of each other, you're still funny and light, while she may be wondering if this relationship ( with you ) has any long term possibilities. Also if her ex is your friend, she may be trepiditious about your reasons for being with her. She may not entirely trust you.

These are just some thoughts. Hope they help a little.