New relationships can be as confusing as they are exciting. You’re ready to take things to the next level and state your feelings out loud—but is he?  How can you tell if your man loves you?

Making time or making excuses?

A man who is in love (or well on his way) will make more and more time for you in his life. All of us need our space, and time for our friends, but if he loves you, you’ll be near the top of his priority list. If he calls you every day, even the days you’ll see him, he’s probably smitten. And if he starts to ask you which night of the weekend would be best for his poker game with the guys, there should be no question in your mind—he’s in love!

Short-term or long-range plans?

Closely related to making time for you is how far into the future he’s willing to make plans. Are your weekends away planned weeks in advanced or spur of the moment? Would he say “yes,” “no,” or “I’m not sure what I’ll be doing then” if you asked him to go to a wedding with you six weeks before the event? If he’s willing to do some long range planning or you catch him saying, “next year we’ll have to stay another day,” he’s committed to sticking by you.

Meet the parents & siblings & friends…

How many of the important people in his life have you met? Distance and circumstance may keep you from meeting his family, but most men have a group of friends who serve as his support system. If he loves you he’ll want you to get to know the people who mean the most to him (and show you off in the process). Don’t be surprised if he begins to show an interest in meeting and hanging out with your friends and family too.

Hugging, touching, squeezing

Passion is important in a relationship but the way your man touches you outside the bedroom can give you a great deal of insight into what he is feeling. Does he smooth your hair while you’re riding in the car together? Does he gently brush lint off your clothes? Will he spontaneously rub your shoulders after you’ve had a tough day? These all indicate he cares deeply for you. He’ll probably start to playfully grab your butt more often too—in situations where he might get caught!

Talking trash or talking trust?

Even if your man is one of a few words, what he chooses to tell you can provide helpful insight into what he’s feeling for you. Trust and love go hand and in hand. How can you tell if he trusts you? If he moves beyond boasting about his successes and strengths and confides in you his failures and fears, there’s no doubt he believes you can be trusted. Does he only ask your opinion on where to have dinner or what movie to see? Chances are he’s not looking for love.

While these things can all point to a man in love, you probably already know whether or not his feelings are in tune with yours. There’s much to be said for trusting your own instinct. If it feels right, it probably is!