pilfink

St. Patty's day was lame. Got a beligerent call from my girlfriend who is in New York right now on vacation. Started out fine, but took a turn for the worse pretty fast. She's upset with me because I won't reciprocate her " I love you"'s. We've been together for a little over a year, and I've been divorced from my ex-wife for a little over two years. This is the first serious relationship I have found myself in since my divorce. I'm a little older now and hopefully wiser, definateley more cautious and guarded and I promised myself I would never toss those words around so freely. It's not that I don't feel it, I am just not ready to SAY it. You know, if I say it , it forces the relationship into a whole other phase.
Well, anyway, I've told her this and she just doesn't see it. She thinks I'm just trying to string her along and that I'm just making excuses.
So, I don't know...does it sound like I'm just a chicken shit or are my fears legitimate?
I don't know if anyone will read this, but if you've got any advice I'm listening!