is my previous bad experience tainting this new one?

hey guys (:

i've been having some relationship drama in the past year that's probably left some temporary scars that i don't want ruining what i've got going on now. i'm over all the obvious ones.

some details: my ex was almost 18 at the time, and i was 19, now i'm almost 21 and with a guy for a month who's 27. the new guy and i aren't having sex because we're not keen on rushing things for once or getting pregnant, but we "take care of each other's needs" and have spent almost every day and night together since starting this. also we're in college and neither of us have made it past 6 months with someone.


when my ex and i first started talking, he mentioned that it takes him a year to really know if he loves someone, but after a month of dating with rushed emotional infatuation and me naively thinking i wasn't a rebound, he said he loved me. that whole situation devolved into him being exposed for serial cheating. it was a painful mess that taught me a lot.


this first month with the new guy doesn't feel the same as with the ex, like it's not infatuation or "he's so amazing, we're meant to be!", but now i'm worried. i asked him what makes him fall in love last month. he said it's from time with the person and that he usually says it after 3 months. yesterday was apparently the first really bad day he's had in a while at his job, and he thanked me for being so calm when he picked me up and got home (plus i helped him relax, took care of him, etc etc). this morning as he was leaving for class, he let slip, 'bye. i love you.'

what's going on? ._. let me know if more details are needed