What Makes an Intimate Relationship Intimate?

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/romantically-attached/201802/what-makes-intimate-relationship-intimate

Care is another hallmark of healthy intimate relationships. There is a considerable amount of care each partner places in the other, and this differs from the care that one would typically display to another, non-intimate person. Intimate partners thus show concern for each other’s well being, comfort in times of distress, and safekeeping the other from harm. While the display of care can differ from one person to the next (as a function of communication style, or differing displays of affection, for instance), nevertheless, intimate partners tend to display genuine, selfless care for each other.