Damn You Cupid

It's sunshine and rainbows. It's butterflies in your stomach. It's smiles when his name is mentioned. It's hope.
Is hope what drives the excitation of a new relationship? The potential of what could be laid out before you dominates the oh-so-essential logic center of the brain. But isn't that what makes new relationships so enticing? The prefrontal cortex goes on vacation while Amygdala has a hay day. I've previously ranted about longing for a person to come into my life so that I could experience this oxytocin-driven mayhem to which all those pair-bonded are seemingly addicted. In all honesty, my previous relationships have not been anything to brag about. I cared about them, even loved a bit, but I didn't truly get the experience of feeling the things that fuel romance narratives.
Enter Ben.
Holy crap. All I have to say is that I get what everyone is talking about but also that it's freaking me out! I have never met someone I simply liked as much as I like this guy. He's extremely intelligent, caring, attractive, affectionate, funny, playful, and doesn't have any qualms about being goofy with me. What more could I ask for? The part that scares the hell out of me is that I don't have to try. If anything, I have feelings I'm trying to stifle. I haven't seen him in a little over a week and I'm moping around my house as if he has been gone for months. What is up with that? Is it normal? I usually get tired of people so quickly; but with him, I never feel satiated with the amount of time spent together.
This being all new to me, perhaps I am just voicing common knowledge for those who have experienced intense interest in a significant other. Or perhaps, I am just putting "out there" things of which people tend to keep to themselves. Unfortunately, today has not been the day I can easily keep things bottled. I really like this guy. I like him so much it both excites and scares me. I'm also afraid of underplaying my hand. Out of my fear of moving too quickly, I consistently pump the brakes. The only problem is that I have the wild, crazy, oxytocin-pumped, jump-in-head-first, love-crazed side of me riding shotgun. That bitch has no clue how detrimental speed can be to a developing relationship.
I want this to work out. I have never been this excited about a guy before. Maybe I haven't underplayed my hand. Perhaps, I have done the opposite. Sometimes, I think he can see right through me. Maybe he can see that girl riding shotgun and how desperately she wants to be front and center, throw caution to the wind, and not let past relationships dictate where and how she will move forward.