Ways to say `I love you' without a word: why limit yourself to one little phrase? From secret signals to amorous actions, other small gestures show your dude just how deep your feelings for him run. (Love Life).(body language)(Abstract)

* Few statements have the powerful impact that "I love you" does ... that is, until it's been said again and again and again. "Over time, the words themselves don't mean as much because they often end up sounding obligatory," explains Roy Baumeister, Ph.D., coauthor of The Social Dimensions of Sex.

That's not to say that you should stop telling the object of your affection how much you care, but there are more imaginative ways to do it. "What you do can mean as much as--if not more than--what you say," says Baumeister. But before you short-circuit your brain conjuring up creative tactics to let your darling know you dig him, read on. Cosmo found four inspired methods to declare your devotion ... and no, they don't involve pet names or slaving over a hot stove. Hallelujah!

say it with a signal

Like most couples, you and your guy probably have a covert gesture that implies you want to get busy--like now. So why not take your secret touch or lascivious lip-lick to the love level with a signal that says he's not just sexy, he's special. "When my fiance and I are in public, I'll squeeze his hand three times for `I love you,'" says Julia *, 25. "The first time I did it, I explained what it meant, and now he just knows." Besides being incredibly personal, these silent signals prevent you from annoying your uncoupled pals with schmoopie "I wuv you" exchanges.

say it with a stare

A study at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, proved that when total strangers hold eye contact for an extended period of time, they start to feel affection for one another even if they haven't spoken. "Since we're the only species that faces each other during sex, eye contact provides an intimacy for us that's not important to other animals," adds Baumeister. So simply locking his gaze for a moment over ...