Help me communicate my interest a bit better? :)

Hi all! I need your advice 🙂

So I’m (29/f) one of those people that appear really confident and pretty extroverted but I’m an undercover HUGE introvert, very shy and, in dating scenarios, this is messy haha.

Basically, my issue is that I’ll go on a date, or otherwise interact with someone I’m interested in, and I will be a good conversationalist and we’ll have a great time, but I’ll keep it so platonic.

I think I’m reasonably good looking and get a lot of compliments and men who pursue me – when I’m just looking for something casual and so I’m not nervous (no real risk of rejection), I have no problem being a flirt. But, when I’m genuinely REALLY into someone, they often feel that I’m just treating them like a buddy. I have literally heard this from people, even people who liked me back!

There’s this one guy that I have a big fat crush on. I met him last year (out in the world, not on a date) and we just connected on everything. I know he is interested in women and was single at the time. But of course, I didn’t flirt at all, if anything, I was extra bro-y. Now we’re kinda just loosely internet ‘buddies’ because nothing came of it, since I gave him no signals at all. So, I went on with my life, and did other things/dated others – but he’s kinda in the back of my mind. I know we’ll be at the same party this weekend, and with so much time between our last interaction and now, I think I maybe have a shot at starting fresh and trying again.

I think when I really like people, I automatically assume that they won’t like me, because they’re so interesting lol. I don’t want to come off ‘creepy’ so I act extra platonic and just freeze up in terms of any flirty behavior. Any advice in terms of how to get over myself and flirt would be super appreciated, I really want to settle whether there’s any chance with this guy. (For example, can you think of any easy things I can do that will give him the idea that I’m open to flirting with him? Or any little flirtations I can do that my shy self can’t back out of?)

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TL;DR: Going to see someone soon that I have a crush on, but I have a hard time flirting with people I really like. Please give me some pointers!! 🙂 thank you!