I quite often number close a few target from shopping complexes.

How should I build comfort with my target? In my interaction with my target one-on-one (2nd meeting after I got her phone number)... there are sometimes some awkard pause.

I am also trying to demonstrate myself as the dominating alpha male.

Any ideas? Thx.

Yeah! Learn some rapport skills in depth..
Prepare yourself with 2nd date material. Silly playful questions. I found somewhere on the internet a long time ago a short book with 1001 silly questions i belief all of them should work to break the award pauses.
Being and presenting yourself like an alpha male doesn't mean that you can't be silly and funny..
Learn the cube game, learn the 5 lies game, tease her. Maybe try some cold reading.. you still getting to know each other in my experience they love cold reads, and cold reads can be teasy and playfull and you can direct them wherever you want..