Interesting post. I had never done it or ever thought about it until the other night.
I was out at a dance club with some friends. A girl I had never met until recently was sitting at a table by herself. I sensed she was very depressed over something. I approached her and asked if she was alright. She said she had been fighting with her boyfriend and was considering breaking it off altogether. I tried to comfort her, suggesting things may not be as bad as they seemed and to wait until at least the next morning when the alcohol wore off before making any 'rash' decisions. At this point, I, unconsciously, almost instinctively, gently kissed the back of her hand. I wasn't trying to pick her up or acting desperate or anything like that. I was feeling admiration and respect for her at that moment and I well just...did it.
I asked her to save me a dance for later. She said she would.
I never thought any more about her until much later in the evening. I was having a ball, dancing with at least a dozen different girls. Women were approaching me and hitting on me from all over the place. Hell, even the one girl I want to date(she has a boyfriend already...damn it!) was constantly watching me.
Later, after the band had stopped playing, I was back at my table chatting with my friends again. Someone pointed out that the girl was still seated alone at her table. I immediately remembered that I had asked her to save me a dance. I hadn't followed it up. I had completely forgotten. The jukebox was playing some slow song so I went to her table and asked her to dance then and there. She accepted and we waltzed right there by her table, in front of the bar. After the dance, she nestled up to my shoulder and said she wished the song had lasted longer. She then did what I had done to her much earlier in the evening. She gently kissed the back of my hand, I think maybe just to say thankyou or whatever.
Anyway, I can definitely say it was not a negative experience for me. I don't think the other women there had me pegged as a desperate, drooling dog. Their actions suggested quite the opposite.
Just some food for thought!!!