Shyness is not always the correct word to use when speaking about girl's hesitancy in asking a guy if he is attracted to her.  Women just do not do that and it is probably a cultural thing not to be the aggressor.  Women are by nature not agressive people.  You very seldom will find a woman in a fist fight over a matter except if you are looking at the Jerry Springer show.  But in real life women are not that aggressive. 

A calmer word to use is assertiveness.   Women are good at being assertive when it comes to asking for a promotion for example.  But when it comes to matters of the heart such as love, the woman wants to be pursued and chased into of being the initiator.   That is just the way it is as Dr. Phil may say.  Women has certain boundaries that she will not cross when it comes to relationships.  A big no no when it comes to relationship is let the guy be the initiator and for you to wait for him to approach you.

Cultural correctness allows you to flirt and tease and to throw hints and clues to the guy that you are attracted to him.  But for the most part, the woman will not approach a guy even at a club for instance and ask him for a dance.  She would have to be very inebriated to make such a move of to be out with a bunch of girlfriends and ask a guy for a dance on a dare.  Other than those times when a relationship is not involved, will a woman approach a guy first.

Women think that it would be absurd to walk up to a guy and ask:  "Are you attracted to me?" Most guys will take that as a direct invitation to get a room or to follow up the request with a sexual encounter.  All the woman wanted was to see if there was a connection between their personalities and if there was a basis for a relationship of a lasting quality and value.  The guy's response to "Are you attracted to me?" would place your request on the level a lady of the night and he would be expecting sex because of the request.  The guy would go directly to the meat of the matter and say something think something like this:  "This chick must be ready for a jump in the hay?  She just gave me the permission for a round in the sack?  I may not be attracted to her buy who is going to pass up an invitation to have sex?"  Those statements are why women are shy about asking a guy for a date.  He may take it the wrong way and most women hold their self esteem a lot higher places than where he wants to share his libido.

The smart women will wait and be asked by the guy and let him show his attraction to her.  She will let him be on the chase and women men do like to pursue what they think is unobtainable.  Let him be the initiator to find the attraction factor.  You have too high a self esteem to act like you are desperate and ask a guy if he is attracted to you. He may lie to you just to get what he wants and then ride off into the sunset as many of them do if there is no substance to the relationship.  Substance to the relationship means that he saw qualities in you that are shared common interest and would like to relate to you.  If you initiate the attraction factor, more often than not the relationship may spiral down to the pleasurable side of his brain into of the side that you were hoping for and that is to have a loving and lasting relationship.