Why does it feel like I have to act like I’m head-over-heels for a girl just to have any shot at intimacy?

I’m not the type to love-bomb someone just to hook up, but sometimes it feels like that’s what it takes. If I’m upfront about taking my time to figure out whether I genuinely like her, or if I hint that I’m not immediately ready for something serious, it usually gets read as me not being interested at all.

Do any of you guys deal with this too? How do you find the balance between not overplaying your feelings and still being honest about not wanting to commit too quickly?