I'm equally baffled about women engaging me in conversation. Are they flirting or being nice?

Gtrplayer had an interesting point. It might be a good time to practice those assertive skills and determine your boundaries. Your response sounds pretty aggressive for someone who is just flirting with you.

Yes there are plenty of men who give us a bad reputation. They are fairly easy to spot...

After a few casual dates...you can start talking about boundaries you've set...you'll see if his a man or just a player.