hindsight

A romantic or touching gesture is most often the result of a sentimental or dramatic upbringing, manifested by the self-aware to enhance their own sense of identity both by manipulating the image they present and your perception and feeling towards them.

For self preservation, you must recognize what they intend to project, weighed against their actual sincerity in action, before taking any gesture to heart.

This is equally true for lovers, friends, family, and strangers. Though, one should be especially wary of those prone to creating the world around them, including actors, photographers, directors, fiction writers, dreamers, and perhaps lawyers.