My boyfriend struggles with trust.
I’m 22 (F) and my boyfriend is 23 (M). I ended a previous relationship just a week and a half before I met him. Initially, I wasn’t fully serious about our relationship because I was cautious about getting hurt again; my ex treated me poorly. I also have a habit of staring, and a few weeks into dating my boyfriend, he noticed me looking at other guys, which I totally understand is disrespectful. I never intended to harm our relationship—I was genuinely invested in him. I have a complicated history with men, and my body count is 26. I’ve made some minor lies in the early stages of our relationship, which has led him to feel that he can't trust me at all. He worries that I won’t be able to remain committed to one person for life, viewing him as just another number, “the 26 guy.” Yet, he's the first man I’ve ever truly loved, and it feels like my words carry no weight with him now. He seems to believe that I’ll cheat on him, even though I have never cheated on anyone myself—I've only been cheated on three times. We’ve been together for over six months, and I’ve been living with him for more than four months. To show my commitment, I deleted all my social media and currently, since we’re both unemployed, I’m with him all the time. Still, he suspects I’ve cheated at least once during our relationship. Is it fair for him to feel this way because of my past and the early days of our relationship? I consider myself a loyal person with a kind heart, and all I want is to be loved unconditionally, just as I would love them in return. Please help.