I'm surprised by reading here how many first dates DON'T end in some sort of physical connection.

Me? If the first date has been good, I pretty much expect there will be hug, followed by a kiss at the end. If there's not, I assume it wasn't as good for the guy as it was for me.

I did have a guy once who, on a date to the zoo, wanted to hold my hand the ENTIRE time. And he'd stare at me... a creepy kind of stare. When I'd catch him at it he'd say "Isn't it romantic how every time I look at you, you look at me?" I was seriously creeped out by this guy, to the point of feeling nauseated, and couldn't wait to get home. My gut told me there was something seriously wrong with that guy. He wrote me afterward about how great a connection he felt and that he had a feeling that someday we'd be telling our grandkids about our first date. Uh... no. Dude, didn't you notice when I ran out of your car, telling you I felt nauseated? I wrote back and kindly said I didn't feel any connection and did not want to see him again.

But... if the guy didn't creep me out I wouldn't mind holding hands for PART of the date! And if we're sitting across from each other over a glass of wine, reaching out and touching the other's hand during conversation lets me know we're really feeling a good connection.