“Making eye contact and holding it just a few seconds longer than a casual glance causes him to take notice of you and start to wonder what you may have meant by that,” says Lieberman. “It's the cool 'silent flirt' that can make him want to know more.”
Keep your body language open and relaxed. The key to good flirting often comes down to how you present yourself. Stand or sit with your shoulders back and your arms at your sides (or, at least, not across your chest). Do your best to look friendly and open, and offer a genuine smile when you're flirting.
In his book he examines five key styles: polite, playful, sincere, and traditional. Take the quiz here to see which one you are. There is no right or wrong way to flirt, but according to author Jeffrey Hall there are five different styles.
It's flirting for the sake of flirting, for a shared feel-good factor. They draw the line: Natural flirts know when and where to stop. They will not lead someone on... They draw the line: Natural flirts know when and where to stop.
Little compliments are another sign that he's flirting. He may be subtle with these and compliment your clothes or your style, or he may just say things like, “wow, that's so cool!” with a passionate look in his eyes, or he'll say “I love that!” when you say something he agrees with.
Keep your head up, arms open and your feet pointed in the direction of the person you are trying to attract. This subtly shows that you are focused on her and what she has to say. Avoid closed off behavior like crossing your arms, which keeps people out.
“Really be intentional to make eye contact in a way that's not like super intense or scary, but gentle, and with eyes that dance with a little bit of flirtatious energy. If she asks, “What?” say, “I just love looking at you.” It's a gesture that could be especially welcome in a long-term partnership.
Tease them gently about something they're good at/confident about. If your crush is a star athlete, try saying, "So how many extra goals is your team going to score when they don't have you on the field?"
That depends a lot on what's comfortable for both of you. She might enjoy gentle caresses on her face and neck, or she might enjoy back rubs or having your arms around her waist. Experiment with different touches and ask what she likes or dislikes.
Without even realizing it, you may be sending physical signals such as protruding your chest (whether male or female) but if you're a woman, you'll flash the flirtatious gaze especially once the interaction gets going.
Touch his cheeks, his forearms, his inner thighs, the back of his wrists, his forehead, his bare knees, or even graze his lips with your hands. These are all classic erogenous zones that are sure to leave him titillated!
Touching becomes flirting when it's done with the intention of showing interest or attraction. This could be a light touch on the arm during a conversation, a playful nudge, or a gentle touch on the hand.
Depending on how it's done, and the personalities of the people involved, simple touches that seem to be very casual can be flirtatious. Someone who gently brushes real or imaginary lint off the sleeve of your sweater, or who lets his hand rest lightly on your arm during conversation just might be flirting with you.