Does He Secretly Love Me? Look For These 26 Telltale Secret Signs!

Signs He Loves You Secretly

We’ve probably all heard the philosophy that when a guy is into you, he’ll make sure you know it. While that idea is floating around out there for good reason, it’s not always as black and white as you’d think. Even when a guy is clear about his intentions, if you’re lacking self-esteem yourself, you might subconsciously label it as something different.

Revealing romantic feelings for another person requires a level of vulnerability that’s always going to be hard – no matter your gender. Just because men are traditionally more upfront about their feelings than some women doesn’t mean that all guys are pros at showing their hand.

MORE: 11 Undeniable Signs He’s In Love With You

Some guys take the slow play approach, not doing anything too bold but consistently nosing into your orbit. Others prefer moves that are pretty much undeniable, regardless of your confidence.

If you’re in the unenviable position of trying to decide how much a guy cares about you, we’re here to help.

Here are 26 of the signs a guy is confessing his love:

1. He’s got his eye on you – literally.

Eye contact. We have a million clichés and theories around it, but at the end of the day, there’s an air of mystery surrounding it that we’ll never be able to define. What we do know is that it’s meaningful. It might be flirtatious and fleeting or soulful and long, but either way you’ll always be catching him in your peripheral vision.

MORE: Body Language Signs That Mean He’s Definitely Into You

2. He remembers important dates.

Have you ever forgotten a friend’s birthday? We all know that crushing feeling of missing an important date. Even when we deeply care about someone, it’s hard to remember every significant detail. So, when the guy in your life makes a point of acknowledging something like this, take note. He wouldn’t ask you how your niece’s twelfth birthday last Wednesday was if he wasn’t purposefully, sweetly, keeping tabs on you.

3. He texts you goodnight.

You always seem to think about the person most dear to you before you go to sleep. Maybe it’s because they’ve been running through your mind all day. Or perhaps you just feel a desire to comfort that person, even if you’re not physically present with them. Regardless of the reason for it, when a guy is really into you, he’ll likely be a big fan of the goodnight text.

MORE: Definite Signs Your Partner is In Love With You

4. He’s always respectful.

This is an important one. If a guy doesn’t deem it mandatory to be respectful of you at all times, he’s not worth spending the time wondering about anyway.

Respect can be seen in small and grand gestures. He won’t interrupt, talk over, or mock you during a conversation. Even if things get heated, he’ll never treat you with contempt. He’ll respect your opinion even if he doesn’t understand it.

5. He’s eager to help you.

When a guy is head over heels for you, all you have to do is hint at a problem and he’ll be jumping at the chance to help. He might grab you your favorite coffee before work or surprise you by fixing that leaky sink you’ve been complaining about.

MORE: Does He Love Me? How to Know For Sure

6. He prioritizes you.

Talk really is cheap. It’s through a person’s actions that you can see how you really rank in their life. Does he make up last minute excuses for why he has to bail, or does he prioritize you above everything else?

7. He wants to know everything about you.

It’s crazy how, once you like someone, even the most boring detail about them becomes golden. If he mentions his favorite soup is minestrone, you file that away forever. Guys are no different in this respect. He’ll have plenty of questions about you and your life up till this point.

8. He makes an effort with your loved ones.

No matter who you are, it’s always intimidating to meet someone’s circle of loved ones. Even if your friends or family are not overly critical of prospective romantic partners, there’s still going to be some tension. Keeping that in mind, you can see how only someone who’s interested in something real would make that kind of effort.

MORE: The Biggest Signs He Loves You Without Saying It

9. He wants to be with you all the time.

Have you ever been driving away from someone you’ve just spent time with and thought “I miss them already?” As ridiculous as that can sound to third-party observers, that’s how people in love tend to be. If your guy wants to spend all of his spare time with you, he’s showing you how much he cares.

10. He tells you all about his life.

Once you become important to a man, he’ll want you to know about everything from his work to his hobbies. Sharing those kinds of details builds intimacy and trust.

11. He’s protective of you.

If he catches the slightest whiff of someone meaning you harm, he’ll be on it right away. When he’s around, you won’t have to spend much time warily fending off the advances of unwelcome guys at the bar. He’ll be alert for your safety and want everyone to know that you’re with him.

MORE: Unmistakable Signs He’s Into You

12. He pays attention to you more than anyone else.

This one will be evident just from how much time he spends standing near and listening to you, but it’ll be shown in subtler ways, too. For example, you might notice that he watches you for your reaction to something instead of at the person talking. Maybe he makes a joke and you’re always the first person he looks at to see if you laughed.

13. He thinks of the two of you as a team.

Instead of acting like an independent agent, your guy will check in with you before making plans. It may even be subconscious, but he’ll naturally factor you in as he goes about his day.

14. He’s vulnerable with you.

Being vulnerable with someone is hard for both men and women, but men often have a harder time opening up. It’s a powerful sign of trust if he feels comfortable sharing his innermost thoughts and fears with you.

15. He’s physically affectionate with you.

While not everyone considers physical touch to be a crucial love language, generally you can’t help touching the person you love. Whether it’s a playful punch on the shoulder or a gentle touch to the small of your back, he’ll want to make contact as often as possible.

16. He thinks your quirky traits are cute.

Maybe you live for repainting antique model planes, or perhaps you have a deep love for the cheesiest reality TV show of all time. When a guy likes you, he’ll find these traits endearing, not weird. He’ll probably join you on the couch for that silly show just so that he can spend time with you.

17. He has your back.

Is there any feeling better than the one you enjoy when you know someone has your back? Having a partner who will always be there for you is such a valuable asset in all areas of life. This could apply to something as simple as backing you up in a tense argument, but it’s more than that. It’s the peace of mind that you’re not going through your battles alone.

18. He notices the little things.

Anyone will spot it when you make a drastic wardrobe change or dye your hair a new color. But the guy who’s really into you will notice the smaller details. If you stop wearing the necklace you always sport or suddenly start wearing nail polish, he’ll be the one to comment on it.

MORE: Undisputable Signs He Is In Love With You

19. He includes you in future plans.

When a man loves you, he’ll think of your futures as intertwined. He could be blunt about it by feeling you out on topics like marriage and children. It may also slip out in ways he doesn’t mean it to. For example, he might talk about a wedding six months from now that the two of you will be attending.

20. He apologizes when he’s wrong.

It’s tough to tackle your ego and admit when you’re wrong. When a guy is willing to spend time in self-reflection and come back with an apology, that’s a wonderful sign that he’s dedicated to the relationship.

21. He brings out the best in you.

While this may not seem like a sign of his love for you, the way that a person makes you feel can tell you a lot about them. Someone who loves you will make you feel appreciated and inspired. After you spend time with them, you’ll be excited about life and your potential.

22. He’ll make sacrifices for you.

No one should have to make constant sacrifices for another person in a relationship, and all effort should be mutual. But when a guy shows you he’s willing to be inconvenienced in some way for your sake, it shows selflessness.

MORE: Top Ways To Tell If Your Lover Loves You

23. He’s willing to put in the work.

He’s committed to making it work no matter what. A guy in love will not look for the first exit when things get rough. If he walks out of the room during a fight, you won’t be worried he might not come back.

24. He values your opinion.

When a guy respects you as a partner, he’ll want your opinion on different parts of his life. Even if he doesn’t always take your advice, talking it out with you will be a vital part of his decision-making process.

MORE: How Guys Say ‘I Love You’ Without Saying It

25. He appreciates you for who you are.

Sometimes people craft an idea of who you are instead of continuously studying the real person. When a guy falls in love with an artificial or idealized version of you, it’s not built on anything sustainable. So, when a guy actively tries to get to know who you really are, that’s truly valuable.

26. He makes you feel it.

At the end of the day, no matter how many signs you look for or observe, love is an unquantifiable matter. It’s much more emotional than logical. When a guy loves you, he’ll make you feel it in whatever way he can. Different guys may opt for unique ways of doing this, but all of them will find a way.

MORE: Body Language Signs He Secretly Loves You

I hope after reading this article you’re totally clear on the signs a man is in love with you. But before you go, I need to tell you that there’s a crucial period in your relationship that will determine if you and he end up together, or if the relationship falls apart. At some point, he will start to back off. He may lose interest, he may pull away, he may suddenly need space. Do you know how to handle it when he does this? If not, you will probably make one of the major mistakes that most women make that can irreparably destroy your relationship. Read this now so you don’t risk losing him forever: If He’s Pulling Away, Do This...

The next problem you may run into is when he gets to the point where he asks himself: Is this the woman I want to commit to for the long-term? Do you know how men decide if a woman is girlfriend, or even wife, material? The type of woman that a man wants to commit himself to? If not you need to read this next: The #1 Things Men Desire in a Woman

In Summary…