My situatuon was very similar to your own. In a moment during one of our may discussions i told him i had written a poem and i wanted to share it with him. (i write poetry, but some times i have trouble articulating my feelings aloud, therefore i write) in it i expressed my feelings descbibing all the ways he made me whole with out saying the words, i love you. He was a little surprized that i felt that way so soon, he told me thank you for the honor. a few days or maybe a week went by and i actually said the words. He said that my poem had started him thinking about the depth of our realtionship. And he said the words back to me. Then he explained that He wouldnt say the words often beacuse to him they were used too freely and lost alot of meaning to him during his life, and that he hoped i understood that he expressed them with his actions not necessarily with his words. And i do. I say it to him when i please (because i feel compelled to say them) He always smiles and strokes my face and looks into my eyes and says in his gruff tone "you know I feel the same slave." it just melts me right there.