I used to try to look at it rationally, the way I look at everything else, but you know, romance isn't rational. It's not a place for sanity, for calm consideration of alternatives. And I think I missed that notion the first time around (middle school).
So, most of my role models for it come from a bunch of movies. For me the ones that come closest to my heart:
It Takes A Thief -- where Cary Grant has just been on this extended dinner engagement with Grace Kelly and her grandmother, and he's been charming through the whole tiresome thing, being polite and witty with the old lady, and he thinks it's all been just politeness.
Finally when he's left her at her suite, Grace Kelly just steps back out, gives him this shocking kiss right on the lips, and then turns around archly, and closes the door.
And you realize all along she's been paying much more attention than you thought.
The lunch scene in Office Space:
"..so, you're gonna quit your job and you don't wanna pay bills. So tell me, Peter, what do you want to do?"
"You know what I want to do? I want to take you out to dinner. And then I want to take you back to my apartment and watch "Kung Fu". Do you like "Kung Fu"?"
{She gasps, entranced.} "I love "Kung Fu!""
"Channel 37?"
"Wow... Totally..."
"Great."
[Except for me the show is Mystery Science Theatre 3000.]
And the entire film The Desk Set with Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn.
I love that movie, it's got everything going for it: blinkenlights; smart, literate women; it takes place in Rockefeller Center; Christmas in New York; they even mention the Chappaqua train station.
And the sysadmin gets the girl.