Teenage love is the worst, so embarrassing. It counts even though, at least in my case, it never actually came close to the fully formed version I’ve experienced as an adult. It’s not necessary to me to differentiate between loving and being in love.

I think we might be using these terms in different ways. I think that early stages of a relationship are driven by 'passion' which implies that I am primarily motivated by a selfish hedonism. Being in love feels exciting and invigorating, and can be addicting, so I pursue it. This might help you form a more meaningful bond with a person, but on its own is unsustainable as the basis of a long term relationship.

Love, to me, means something different. I am perfectly willing to sacrifice my own hedonistic pleasure to make someone I love happy or limit their suffering. The motivation may still be selfish (I can't stand to see people I love suffer, and I want to avoid that, or I am getting fulfillment from their happiness), but the behavior isn't, and I think that is what makes this 'love' something different than 'being in love', at least how I am using these words.