saying I love you

Sa
Hi, I'm 18 and my boyfriend is 19 and we've been together since September. I see him at least once everyday because we go to college together and we live in the same dorm so it's really convienient and easy whenever we want to see each other!
He's never said I love to a girl before after having a lot of unserious girlfriends and his previous only serious relationship. I have said I love you before, but to my ex who was actually abusive to me and he had said or first.
Me and my boyfriend have been together for a few months and after being abused, he is so so so different. He's warm and loving and caring and asks about how I feel and does little things for me. I can't explain how different it is and how much more loving this relationship is. I know this is what real love is like. What I had before when I was abused wasn't love. I didn't know it then but I know it now.
I love my boyfriend and I want him to know I love him. I want to tell him I love him, but I'm pretty certain it will scare him and he won't say it back. I know saying I love you isn't about hearing it back, I want him to know how I feel, but I don't want to scare him away because he hasn't been that serious before and I don't know if he feels the same way. I don't want to lose him.
What should I do?