Compliments can be creepy in the exact same way that gifts can be creepy. Thanks to human nature, 90% of the time someone giving one is expecting something in return. The closer the compliment comes to saying "you look like a good sex partner," the more likely the expected return is sex. Now you may be a generous and pure soul with no lust in your heart and mean nothing beyond simple appreciation and good will, but the recipient of your compliment has no way of knowing that.
Or rather, think to yourself "If I *was* trying to get into his/her ******, would this compliment be a good pick up line?" If so, it's potentially creepy.
This train of thought is why it is often hard for me to compliment or gift people.
Also, why when I am dating someone it is hard for me to do certain boyfriend-like activities. "if I do (blank), she will think I just want to have sex later."
Except sometimes I completely lose this knowledge and go way overboard in the opposite direction. "Happy birthday! I walked to the record store and bought you this present, I really hope you like it." *her roommates stare blankly in disbelief*
A-CAP, actually, was talking to me about this problem where I realized that... maybe intentions are not read in the way that I think.
I am often reluctant to create scenes like "hey, want to come back to my place and watch a movie?"
Because in my brain this is "Dan is trying to lure me to his house for makeouts."
When actually, if the situation is right, it is more like "oh, i would like to kiss dan, and he is creating a convenient way for me to say yes without being explicit. Yes, I would like to do this."
I think a lot of my girl problems are caused by the belief that girls do not want to kiss boys, and that the things boys do to lead to that situation are somehow... tricks.