Interested in thoughts on how to maintain an alpha frame and continue the interaction after a failed kiss attempt. Based on the vibe I was getting, I wasn't expecting this to not work, so I was kind of frozen like a deer in headlights when it didn't. I'd just like to have a sense of what to do next time so I have a plan to deal with a rejection and not be awkward.

Cute Latina girl maybe early 30s and I are chatting and flirting in a semi-crowded bar, I've been doing some decent kino building, she has been reciprocating. I've had her qualify herself to me more than one time already. At some point in the conversation, she asks me if I have a time for a girl in my life, then says something about how most of her free time gets eaten up by Netflix.

Me - So that just means you have a lot of time to cuddle then. You seem too fiery to be the cuddling type.
Girl - Hey! I like cuddling.
Me - Yeah? You're a cuddler?
Girl nods
Me - Are you a good kisser?
Girl - (smirks) nods again says yes I am.
Me - Well lets find out.

I go in for it, and she pulls away. This rejection can very well be a shit test of some sort, but as I'm pretty amateur at this point, I don't know exactly how to respond to something like this.

You don't respond

Pretend it never happened. Try again in 10 mins (or the next available opportunity).

You made no error - that was an opening. She just rebuffed you.

Another approach is to chuckle, and then not mention it. Change the topic entirely... You still try again in 10 mins (or the next available opportunity) though.

A nice trick you could try: some time before going in for the kiss, ask her how she is feeling. Whether she says "alright", "good", "bad", or w/e adjective she uses, when you kiss her and notice some resistance, you can save face and DHV at the same time by saying "well, you said you felt [adjective], so I wanted to help change that to AWESOME"

I figure you have probably heard of this before but, in the future, you can try Style's "Do you wanna kiss me?" routine.

Basically, before you for the kiss try this routine (NOTE: only try this when you are feeling a vibe like she is attracted, but are not sure about it):

You: "do you wanna kiss me?"
Girl: "Yes"
*kiss her*

If she says no:
You: "you wanna kiss me?"
Girl: "No"
You: "well, I didn't say you could. It just looks like you want something."
*give her kind of a cocky smile here*

it's pretty much the perfect save. I've had girls flip on me like a pancake from cold as ice to totally attracted based on the confidence they perceive from the delivery of this line. You really have to sell like you know this chick wants you.

By the way, if she says maybe or i don't know or something along those lines, just say "let's find out" and kiss her. Those answers are shy girls' way of saying yes because they are being coy.