ghoti_mhic_uait

I do the same as you, but IME we're relatively unusual. Culturally, "I love you" is not just a statement of fact - it's the first half of a call-and-response, with the expected response being "I love you too." If the other person doesn't offer the expected response, the first person is almost inevitably going to feel bad - either because they misjudged the situation by using the "call" too early in the relationship, or if the relationship is more established, because the other person is signalling that their feelings have changed.