Why could you not do that in an equal relationship? Being equal does not mean you can not show love and tenderness through actions. For instance if one person gets home before the other from work, then the that person cooks dinner and if they want to make it special, then why not? If you're going out for a drink with your partner and only one of you can drive, then the one who drives doesn't get to have a drink, so the other thinks of ways to bridge that gap, as in it might be a candle lit dinner at home sometimes with a nice bottle of wine.
Plus 'I get plenty back in return' suggests one action for another, as in equal.
Treat each other the way you want to be treated. I will do for you, the same as I would do for myself.
Not you do all the cleaning and put the dinner on my table, even though we both work kind of thing, or I'll go to work and you sit at home looking pretty my Princess, don't worry your little head about anything.
That's kind of where I'm coming from.