Go for it, but don't push to much or she might fear working with you otherwise, accept it if it's a negative outcome, and mention to her that you love working with her and that you don't want things to get weird at all.
Hmmm. Telling a client you don't want things to get weird is a sure fire way to make them feel weird and uncomfortable.
I don't think so, if I was the model in this situation, I would like to know that it has no impact on our possible work together and that i'm not coerce into anything because I do not want to loose this ''biz'' relationship. In my personnal experience, some guys can turn pretty crazy after being rejected.
Recently one of my very best friend loose her storage place because she refuses to go for a drink with her contact. It was never implied that he was attracted to her, when she mentionned she couldn't have a drink at the bar because she was home with her boyfriend, he completely flip, next day, her contract for the warehouse was non valid.