What's the word for two people who like/love each other but neither one confesses it?
Solution 1:
The most common expression is "unspoken love" (8960 written instances in Google Books). You could also call it "unacknowledged love", but some people may miscontrue that love as only "unacknowledged" by one of the two "would-be" lovers.
Solution 2:
Depending on the context, you could call it a crush, particularly if you are talking about two adolescents.
A crush doesn't necessarily imply unbeknownst reciprocation; it's often one-way, and directed toward someone who is not in a position to share the attraction. Still, there would be nothing wrong with saying:
Dave and Jill both had a secret crush on each other.
I can't think of a noun with the inherent implication that neither is aware of the other's feelings, but I can understand your aversion to the word love, since love sometimes encompasses a devotion that goes beyond the initial stages of infatuation. Still, there are plenty of ways to convey the idea, without finding a single word for it:
- Unbeknowst to each other, Dave and Jill shared a strong attraction.
- Unbeknown to both, Dave and Jill were nursing a deep passion toward each other.
Unbeknownst and unbeknown both mean "without someone's knowledge." Perhaps that's the key adjective for the feelings you're trying to capture and express?
Solution 3:
Not a single-word but "mutual unspoken love" works well.
Solution 4:
Skinny love: when two people love each other but are too shy to admit it but they still show it.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=skinny%20love