the usage of the word - Can we save “the word”? What can I use instead of it here?

Question

"Save" means "to keep and store up (something, especially money) for future use". But I thought this verb is used only with some words(save the day, save money, save time etc.), and doesn't fit in every context, as in

W : "Why don't you tell me that you love me?"

M: "I'm saving it."

It's wrong, right? Here, what I want to write was that,

the man didn't tell her that he loves her yet, because he's waiting for the right time to say it. Or he's trying to find the right way to say it. He's just "verb(which has the meaning of "save")"ing to say "I love you" to her. Maybe he'll say it to her later.

I initially wrote "save" here, but then I thought it's very awkward and I've never seen anything like this usage in English.

What is the proper word to use instead of "save" here? And in what context or situation can I use "save" in English?

Answer 1

What you wrote is fine. He's saving the experience of telling her for a different time. I wouldn't say it's frequently used this way, but only because this is not a very common circumstance. Nothing comes to mind as more natural.

Perhaps a slightly more common alternative:

I'm waiting for the right time.

which is exactly the phrase you used as you described the situation.