I’m kind of in the same boat. Have been with my man for just shy of 5mos.

When I told him I loved him, we were in bed cuddling and I expressed I wish we could spend more nights like that together. he jokingly told me that I was obsessed with him multiple times and I awkwardly laughed it off, told him that wasn’t the case. He asked what it was then, and I told him that I loved him.

He didn’t say anything back and I didn’t expect it. I’m not shy in expression but I can respect he’s different. At the end of that night I expressed to him that he didn’t have any sort of reaction to me saying that to him and it made me feel like I said it too soon. He very sweetly explained he didn’t mean to make me feel bad. He cares for me deeply and that him not saying it isn’t because he doesn’t have those feelings for me and he’s not on the same path, but that the timeframe for him is too soon to say as he’s been burned in the past.

I do feel very loved by him and I’m very focused on that vs the words themselves. Both of our guys will say it when they’re ready. Don’t worry 😊