I think the problem is that by asking, it takes a lot of the tension out of that pre-kiss moment. The thing is though, the tension is kind of exciting - where one of you has to take a gamble and either have their hearts crushed or dreams come true.

By asking, it turns kissing from a fun, thrilling and exciting battle of wills into something mechanical and pedestrian. It's something I've seen go both ways but ultimately, the best kisses are ones done out of passion, rather than empathy.