Was out at a bar with a friend and get to talking to two girls. They're nice/receptive and it eventually comes up that I have a girlfriend. Immediately the one girl seems about 100x more interested - starts asking me a bunch of questions, buying my next drink, etc. Staring into my eyes like I'm some prize to be won..

I've noticed this throughout my life - whenever I have a girlfriend, girls seem to want me more or at least be more receptive to me in general as a person.

Now I didn't do anything with her - the 4 of us just hung out at the bar while I tried to wingman my buddy into getting laid that night and passively put up with her cute little flirting for a few hours (to be on the other side of this is actually really interesting).

Can someone explain the psychology at work here? Why do girls want a taken man seemingly so much more than a single one? Why does me being unavailable not deter her, but entice her even more?

I may write an FR about this as I do think there's a lot to be learned here.