User blog comment:Churchpants/Freddie Can't Date Sam If He's Not in Love with Her?/@comment-1742110-20110510205512

Yep. I agree. A lot of people don't say "I Love You" till they are in a relationship for a little while. While this is a little different in the fact that one of the people have already declared love for the other.

But to answer the question...no....you don't need to be in love with somebody to be in a relationship with them. You have to like them a whole lot and you have to be able to at least see a future with them. But it doesnt have to be LOVE right away.