Silentman: I don't think that there's a really good answer to your question. The best one I can come up with is that you want to make sure that you're continuing to get the max amount of attraction-generation. Once you peak, you make an exit. If it gets to the point where you KNOW that she's into you (think lots of IOIs in a short period of time), then that's when you make your move.

There are some tells that she's interested in kissing you. Lip-licking, hand-holding, pupil dialation, redness of the neck/cheeks. None of these things are 100%, but they may give you some insight. The physical changes could be a result of a lot of things though, so don't put too much belief into these.

I don't necessarily think that you're doing anything wrong here. She might have been ready to go, but its a pretty automatic and normal reaction to a question like that unless you really look like you're about to kiss her. Even in such a situation if she wants to kiss you, she might say no. These are some of the flaws to any routine.

More generally, the problem with the Mystery Kiss-Close, is that like most routines its a crutch and moreover it also presupposes that you care what she thinks. In an ideal world, you don't need to make sure that she's ready, you just know that she's into you.

Silentman, I might suggest that you head out to a cafe and take a look at couples who are on dates. Try to observe what IOIs women send out. Its sometimes tough to detect or distinguish IOI from just plain courtesy. You might benefit from some honing.