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By Terrey L. Hatcher

If your girlfriend's calling you her knight in shining armor, that must make you feel proud, right? She knows you'll be there for her when she needs you.

That's the kind of guy every girl dreams of.

But exactly how often does she need you? Does she call on you several times a week to fix something for her?

And what about you? Is she the kind of woman you've dreamed of? Is she there for you when you need something?

Royal Reliability
Helping your lover through tough patches is admirable. But that kind of loyalty should flow both ways.

If your girl views you as the prince who swoops in on his white horse whenever she needs saving, maybe you're living out a fairy-tale relationship. But we all know that fairy tales are imaginary. They exaggerate the good and the bad, and most of the characters are pretty one-sided.

That's not how we're made in real life. In reality, you're a complex person who has his flaws and strengths. She should too.

Of course it makes you feel good to be the man and step in when your damsel is in distress. And it makes her feel good to be taken care of.

But a strong man needs taking care of too, right? You have times when you want her to treat you like a king rather than just her rescuer.

Make sure that princess is not taking advantage of your good nature. You should be getting lots of loving care from the relationship too.

Unnecessarily Needy
Thinking about these warning signs might help you figure out if you're getting royally used by this princess you think you love:

• Do you find yourself dropping important plans because she didn't plan well and wants your help?
• Does she seem to need emergency loans on a regular basis for some "temporary" problem?
• When you have your own crisis, does she always seem to have a conflict that makes her unavailable to step up to help?
• When you start hanging out with more positive people, does she act jealous and find reasons for you to spend more time with her?

These are just a few of the potential signs that she's high-maintenance, but not high-loyalty. If these questions make you feel uncomfortable about your commitment to this woman and her lack of consideration for you, then you might need to wake up and rewrite your love story.

Love is generous. But if you're the only one doing the giving, then maybe you're going too far. If you really want a fairy-tale happy ending, then you need to find the right leading lady. Make sure you're not falling for a gold digger. You deserve someone with a heart of gold.