This happened with my now husband when we were dating.

We were dating for only two weeks, and he said "Good bye! love you."

He didn't "Love me" love me. I am sure, at the time, he liked me a lot.

It's an ingrained response to someone we care about.

It's right there next to "have a nice day" to the cashier.

Do you really care so much about the cashier that you are going to worry that they might not have a nice day? Of course not.

You are spending a lot of time with him, so he has made it in your "inner circle"

Inner circle people get the "I love you"s. Its programmed. The only difference is that it means something different. It's commitment.

Just let him know its one of those "automated responses" that tells you that you are very comfortable with him, so it popped out.

There are a lot of different types of ways to love. You have the commitment love, and the comfort love, and the romantic love.

You might have the comfort love, and the romantic love, but if you are not ready for the commitment love, that's okay.

Just clarify, and everything will be okay.