“I love you” – What now?

[Road2Somewhere]

By some fluke of the universe two people in late middle age with baggage, meet via OLD, are both sensible enough to know 3 months of dating doesn’t mean you really know a person.
Both think the other is really special and can see a future with them, and then one afternoon one of them says “I love you”.
How do you response if you’re not at that place yet, or even recognise when you are.

You smile and say exactly what you've said here - that you really like them and can see it having a future but you're not there yet in terms of love.

Thank you, I just needed another voice in my head apart from my own.
I don’t want to mess this one up.

I know the feeling...

Good luck

Someone told me they loved me after two weeks of dating. I was honest and said that I was having a great time and really liked them, but that I wasn't yet at the stage that I could say those words back to them.

We've now been happily together for 14 years and love each other very much. Be honest.

On a slightly different note... What do you mean when you say you are "not at that place yet, or recognise when you are?" I totally agree with the advice given by the PPs, but do you have doubts that you would recognise love if and when it does come?

3 months in? Holy shit.

Has this person been displaying other 'love bombing' or 'future faking' behaviours?

Might be a red flag.

People say I love you at different times in the relationship. We said it on the second date and we have been together almost 4 years.

I made my DH wait, when he told me he loved me after three weeks of dating I told him I wasn’t saying it until I was certain. I’d heard it all before from someone else who’d love bombed me. He waited patiently for me to know for sure before I said it back. Over 5 years later I’m still 100% certain he is my soulmate.

@Bunnymumy
No loving bombing, since I've been quite clear about that sort of thing. He is just a really lovely person and we made the most of restrictions being lifted by going on proper dates - 14 so far.
@Daisy434
That part of me I put in a box and just cracked on with life, not really wanting to get too close to anyone and he is sort of the same. We both have adult children who've left home and seem to be at the same stage in life where we've turned the focus onto making happy ourselves and unexpectedly found we balance each other really well.

plus the sex is fantatsic, did wait till date 8 though and for a bloke in his fifties he's in great shape.

We had a chat this afternoon about what he said and his reply "I can't help how I feel, but those are my emotions, you probably feel differently and I understand that.."
I felt better for that, since didn't feel any pressure and said we're still getting to know each other.
Anyway, we've planned a date for the weekend and our comms hasn't gone weird, so steady as it goes.

'I've been quite clear about that sort of thing'

But heads up though, people who love bomb do so because they have a disorderd personality and are trying to con you. So obviously if you tell them you are aware of that tactic...they'll just use other tactics.

Lots of dates over a short time frame? 'So much in common' (possible narcissistic mirroring) , 'I love you' early on, fantastic sex (common early on with narcissistic sorts).

Hopefully it's nothing along those lines and he is just a lovely fella who wears his heart on his sleeve. But just, be aware. There are some right con artists out there.