I've been in this situation...let me count...6, probably 7 times. I was not close friends with any males after my best friend moved away in sixth grade...until THE most popular guy in school joined the swim team our junior year of high school. I was the star swimmer, and he came to me for advice often, and we got really close...he was the first guy to treat me like just another dude. I "fell in love" with him eventually told him, and he handled it pretty well at first, but I didn't back off. I ended up making him extremely uncomfortable and we barely looked at each other for the next two years. It's hands down my biggest (if not my only) regret.
In college, I came out as gay...twice in college, I developed year long friendships with straight guys, and let myself fall in love with them (though I had long learned to keep those feelings to myself). I liked to tell myself that I couldn't help it...but that was bullshit. Feelings are a choice, and feelings change. Acting on those feelings is a choice. This past summer, a straight guy I worked with started harassing me about my sexuality in a way he thought was funny, but was strange to me...it seemed like he was flirting one minute and threatning me the next. He was absolutely beautiful, so it made it all the harder to deal with. Eventually, I called him out for it...he was apologetic, and we became pretty good friends, which made me start to fall for him...hard. A choice had to be made...have a smokin' hot friend, or have an awkward time trying to avoid a new enemy. It's okay to harbor the secret crush, it can be controlled...it's like a balance scale. Friend on one side, crush on the other. You and only you can choose where to put your weight. It takes practice to know how to be friends with someone like this...for me it was a lot of practice.
Love is love no matter how we try to divide it (friends, family, lovers)...you should be attached to your friend, and you should love him...but most importantly, put yourself in his shoes everytime you're unsure. The more you tell yourself you can't have him, the more you will want him. You already have him. He's your friend...the only thing you can do now is lose him. You've known each other barely any time at all...it's too early to be worrying. Maybe the more time you spend with him, the more you'll realize he's not "right" for you.
Some guys are okay with sexual joking, some aren't. Follow his lead...there are ways to compliment him without telling him he's hot if it comes down to you feeling the need to express your attraction. Maybe the best way to open a door between the two of you would be to throw out the name of this site and see if he's intrigued by anything on here.