You might like hearing those three little words every now and then — and really, it’s not too much to ask — but honestly, you can tell how guys feel about you just by taking notice of the things they do. If they’re not much for talking, guys are more likely to express their feelings for you by doing these things:
- Showing up when needed. When you need help with something or have heard bad news, your BF drops whatever he’s doing and shows up for you right away — and not just until you feel better, either. He’s there all night, just in case.
- Finding reasons to touch you in daily life. He always likes to hold your hand when you’re out or touch your hair, and sometimes he’ll just surprise you with a really amazing hug. He isn’t always up in your space, but he does like to be affectionate — and most importantly, not just when he’s horny.
- Wanting to meet and spend time with your family. It’s one thing to meet the folks, but quite another for a guy to want to spend time with your crazy relatives (when honestly, sometimes you don’t even feel like it). He does it happily because he knows that they’re an important part of your life.
- Showing interest, not just offering solutions. When you chat about your goals and future plans, he really takes time to listen to them. He doesn’t quickly try to fix blemishes in your plans or tell you why they don’t work, but he truly values your ideas and supports you no matter what.
- Seeing beyond your physical appearance. Yes, he loves how you look, but he also shows you that he loves everything else about you too, like your intelligence and the cute way that you laugh at lame jokes. He notices things that you probably don’t even notice about yourself because he’s so interested in you. Suddenly, you’ve gone from honeymoon stage to the real deal.
- Making it clear that “his” is now “yours.” When you’re spending more and more time together, he lets you into all areas of his life without question. He’s quick to share his personal items without getting possessive about them. This is important because it’s not about the material goods, but what they symbolize: how he wants to share them — and his life — with you.
- Showing you off proudly. When you’re out with his friends, he’s quick to include you in the group. He tells people who you are without making you feel sleazy like you’re some kind of trophy. The stories he chats to them about include you so people can tell you’re an important part of his life.
- Keeping you safe. When you’re walking in a busy public place, he’ll take your hand. When the traffic is insane, he’ll offer to drive you to your destination. He shows you in so many ways that he likes to protect you because he values you so much.
- Sacrificing his happiness for yours. He knows what’s important to you and will go out of his way to achieve it for you, even if it conflicts with his happiness. He’ll watch your favorite sitcom even when he’d rather watch a movie and take time out of his weekend to join you in your quest to find the perfect jeans.
- Happily lounging around with you and do nothing. It’s fun to get out there and do things together, but it’s also a sign of love when a guy doesn’t always have to be on the social scene. Instead, he can just chill out with you and chat or do absolutely nothing because your company is what he’s after.
- Missing you when you’re not around. When you don’t sleep in the same bed or hang out together, he’ll send you a text telling you how much he misses you. He is open and clear about his longing. This is more than just romantic — it shows you that he doesn’t take you for granted and values time with you.
- Putting up with your loud girlfriends. He doesn’t get annoyed when he spends time with your crazy, loud and sometimes overwhelming girlfriends, as some guys will when they’d rather be somewhere else. Instead, a guy who loves you will try to get to know them, keep them laughing and perhaps even offer them advice for their dramas. Okay, so he might not actually like them much, but he makes an effort with them because he loves you.
- Remembering you’re allergic to strawberries. If he loves you, he’ll take notice of what you say. He’ll remember to pick out the strawberries from your cereal and he’ll send you a good luck text when you’re having a stressful day at the office. Love is in the details.
