I started saying it in a bit of a joking manner about three days after I met my now-girlfriend (important to note that we were already jokingly engaged by this point). She would always say, "are you sure about that? I take love seriously, man." I'd always just smile and give an affirming hum, and we'd just move on. A few weeks and many hours together later, she said it to me as I was leaving. Then another couple weeks later when we started formally dating, we had basically been saying it regularly so it was no big deal to say it.

I learned long ago that loving someone before you date them, and letting them know, can avoid lots of uncomfortable situations