Answer:
The hands all struggle not to pay any attention to Curley's wife. She's attractive, and she knows it, so she tries harder to get their attention. I believe they call her a "tart" in the book. Lennie doesn't make the connection that she's flirting with him and only thinks she's being nice.
Hope that helped! It's a great book and I hope you enjoy it!
in the question romantic doesn't mean as in loving it refers to an idealized view of life.