In my experience dating, the majority of women DO expect men to pay. I've never had a woman refuse when I say "let's split it", but I almost never do that.
Ranked from worst to best, you get one of the following when the check comes:
1. She does nothing and pretends the check isn't there
2. She reaches toward her purse in an obviously superficial attempt at getting her credit card - you both knowing she isn't fooling anyone
3. She asks you if she can pick up half the tab
4. She just automatically takes her card out and puts it down assuming she is paying for half, without saying anything.
5. She puts her card down and says she will take care of it
On a first date, most do #2, a few will do #1, a few do #3, a couple will do #4, and I've never experienced #5. #4 is my hands down favorite. I really respect it.
I haven't found much correlation between age, beauty, or success in which option a girl chooses. The last super hot 27 year old I went out on a few dates with did #4 every time. But I've had plenty of 38 year old women do #1. It all comes down to what kind of person she is on the inside.
Doesn't matter if it's dinner or two drinks. A check is a check.