Hi, I'm back in the dating scene after a relationship lasted a year and an half. We didn't broke up, she moved to Spain (we are both Italian an in our 20s) cause a very great job opportunity that her stepfather offered her. We discussed a lot and we decided to end our relationship because I'm still in the University and I wasn't able to move with her. We also didn't believe in distant relationship. This happened a month and an half ago.
Three very hard weeks after the fact I decided to start going out again and try to approach girl but I got myself stucked. Seems like I can't approach them anymore. I got used to treat all of them as friends and I have no idea how to escalate into something more. Here's an example: 2 days ago I was at a bar with some friends of mine and a very cute girl came with one of them. We talked a little bit, we kinda hit off and after we moved to another bar she sat near me. She was obviously interested, as she made physical contact repeatedly , we made a lot of eye contact, she always looked at me while laughing etc etc. I did obsolutely nothing, I just kept chatting with her like I was doing with everyone else and when we moved to another location I started a kinda private conversation with a close friend, thing that she understood and pushed her into stop trying to talk with me. I didn't do it intentionally, I just act normally as I used to do while being in the relationship.
What I'm asking is: how can I approach a girl? I have no problem on talking with them and I consider myself confident and attractive, I lact the knowledge on how to approach her romantically. Drunk me approach my now ex girlfriend and sealed the deal, but I need to be able to do it normally.
Should I escalate physically after some time we are talking? Like gently scratching her back or give her a gentle touch while she says something that makes me laugh?
Should I ask her number? If yes when?
What are the basics move I can use to let her know I'm interested and I'm approaching her not as a friend but as a potential lover?
I'm planning to see her again and organize a 3 days trip with a very small group if we keep hitting off like that.
I'm still recovering from the end of my relationship and maybe this is blocking me, but I now it's not healthy and I need to move on.