Running Naked on THE BACHELORETTE

Tonight's episode of THE BACHELOR began Enniskillen, Ireland with Shawn and Nick having it out in Nick's cottage/hotel room.

Nick says Shawn revealed he's Eskimo brothers with a famous country singer, having had sex with the same girl. This is the second time Nick has accused Shawn of saying this. In the urban dictionary, Eskimo brothers is just that--sharing the same girl sexually. Who knew?

The show moves to Galway, Ireland the next day where Kaitlyn has a date with Ben. Kaitlyn loves the energy between them. I do too.

They mount huge horses and meander through a deep green pasture on these behemoths to feed a bunch of adorable but persistent donkeys. The donkey's, according to Ben, have "sick haircuts". I think the urban dictionary would say that's a compliment.
After a romantic picnic by a castle overlooking a lake they kiss, talk and end up inside the castle for dinner. In front of the fire, the overnight date card appears from behind a pile of cushions and Ben is as polite as he can be on National TV when presented with the prospect of sleeping with a girl who insultingly thinks he might be a virgin. "Best sleepover ever!" Ben says.
The next morning, outside their window, a sheep gives birth symbolically and Ben heads off to his cottage after only a half hour of shut eye.

At the Lough Erne Resort, Shawn has the next date and is given a present from Kaitlyn which happens to be a shocking pink golf shirt.

They are going golfing and Shawn must be humiliated! Oh joy. Apparently golfing is a fun thing and they have a wonderful day golfing which ends in Shawn having to take off his clothes to run naked to the next green. Why must Kaitlyn try to humiliate him first with colorful clothes, then no clothes? But Shawn won't be deterred! He calls her kiddo and tells her he's proud of how well she did. Maybe she's getting back at him for talking down to her.

That night they dine at a huge mansion/castle where Kaitlyn asks about the hatred between Nick and him, ruining the date and the moment. Nice touch Kaitlyn. Shawn's feelings about Nick are very intense so Kaitlyn pulls out the fantasy suite card and they head upstairs to have a private conversation. She shuts the door on us, pretty quick.
The next morning, Shawn leaves her hotel room, pulls up his hood and creeps back to his silo cottage stealthily. But no.

 Nick is lurking in his khaki's, waiting for him to 'talk'. Shawn lets him in to his room and then talks overtop of Nick and eventually tells him to leave. Nick says, "Are you threatening me?" Ah, no dude. That's not a threat. It's telling you to go. I'm tired of this pissing match.
That night is the Rose Ceremony. Chris Harrison arrives  and questions Kaitlyn about the three remaining men.


The situation is reminiscent of when Kaitlyn was in the last three with Chris Soules. She has a mini meltdown and talks to Chris H. in the hall who supports her decision. Ben is eliminated, making me yell at the TV, "The next Bachelor!"
Ben leaves with the dignity that Jared had. Such a gentleman! "I'll miss her a lot," he says, thereby revealing that he wasn't so deep in with his Kaitlyn feelings that he can't fall in love with someone in four months, as the next Bachelor. They begin taping in September.
While Kaitlyn says Bye Bye to Ben in the driveway, Shawn and Nick guzzle champagne in the elimination room and things are super AWKWARD!

Off to Utah! Why Utah? Did I miss something? Suddenly we are in Deer Valley, Utah, and if I'm not mistaken this is not hometowns, this is meet the families in a condo. Maybe they couldn't afford to fly the Viall clan anywhere because there are a lot of them. They drove in a bus, not unlike the Partridge Family tour bus. It could happen.
I remember from Andi's season how much I like Nick's mother, and not just because she has the Robin Wright haircut from House of Cards. She makes Nick seem less smarmy. Less juvenile. He actually has a mother who loves him! His large family are seated on a sectional. Nick's 12 year old sister, who we fell in love with last go around, questions Kaitlyn and adds a few points for Nick.
Nick has mentioned to Kaitlyn that last time with Andi, he needed a leap of faith to get ready to propose to her, but there will be no leap with her. That's actually pretty sweet. Hope it's true even though his body language, according to the FBI course on body language I took, screamed LIAR! Look her in the eyes DUDE!

On Shawn's family visit, the mom couldn't come but his aunt is there with the two sisters and father and strangely, Kaitlyn actually looks like one of the sisters. They love Kaitlyn but the dad wants to know more about Shawn's feelings and how he got so emotional so fast. Up until now, Shawn hasn't told Kaitlyn that he loves her. After meeting the family and going back to her ugly condo (everything looks ugly after Ireland!), Shawn says those three words. Actually five. "I love you, Kaitlyn Bristowe."
And back in her suite, Kaitlyn is a mental mess because a) she had her mind made up to pick Nick and she's sad that Shawn has fallen so hard or b) she had her mind made up to pick Nick and now Shawn is back in the game.

Last Saturday they taped Men Tell All in Los Angeles and that's what we'll be watching next Monday. According to Mike Fleiss, the creator of this show, the men tell ALL! I can't wait to see the Bromance Brothers Clint and JJ!
In other Bachelor news, the Finals weekend is in early August in an undisclosed hotel in Los Angeles. This is where the producers interview the women in the final stage before getting chosen. They've been told to remain available from September through October in case they get chosen. It's here they are interviewed by a PI, the show's psychologist and have a blood test for STD's. They have an on camera interview and do a lot of sitting around in a private hotel room while waiting to be called on. They've been told bring something to do in the hotel room that day.
AND, Bachelor in Paradise, the abomination we love to watch, begins Aug 2nd, thereby locking down Monday nights in August for me and my hubby.

Kim Hornsby is a National Bestselling Author of Suspenseful novels with Romantic elements. She won the Chanticleer Best Mystery/Thriller Paranormal and was nominated for Best Indie First Book by Indie Romance Convention with The Dream Jumper's Promise.