'Bachelor in Paradise' recap: Thomas Jacobs takes Serena Pitt on a date and sparks drama, Riley Christian steals Maurissa Gunn away from Connor Brennan

Bachelor in Paradise featured The Bachelorette villain Thomas Jacobs and smooth-talking bachelor Riley Christian arriving on the beach and trying to steal two girls, Serena Pitt and Maurissa Gunn, away from their doting partners during Tuesday night's Season 7 broadcast on ABC.


The Bachelor in Paradise broadcast began Noah Erb updating viewers on the current couples in Paradise: Noah and Abigail, Jessenia Cruz and Ivan Hall, Tahzjuan Hawkins and Tre Cooper, Maurissa Gunn and Connor Brennan, Mari Pepin-Solis and Kenny Braasch, Joe "Grocery Store Joe" Amabile and Serena Pitt, Tammy Ly and Aaron Clancy, and Brendan Morais and Natasha Parker.

RELATED LINK: MICHELLE YOUNG'S 'THE BACHELORETTE' SEASON 18 BACHELORS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED BY ABC -- MEET THE MEN! (PHOTOS)

The power was going to shift to the women this week, and James Bonsall worried about not being coupled-up after Victoria Paul quit the show and he gave his rose to newcomer Demi Burnett.

Suddenly, the cast members discovered a boom-box at the resort with a sign that read, "Play Me."


An N'SYNC hit started blasting from the tape and then former boyband member Lance Bass arrived on the beach to serve as Bachelor in Paradise's next guest host after comedian and actor David Spade. Some of the bachelors and bachelorettes were starstruck.

Just as Aaron and Tre were shown venting about how Thomas Jacobs from Katie Thurston's The Bachelorette season is allegedly "manipulative" and "disrespectful" and after fame and clout, of course, Aaron stepped in the sand and showed up to Paradise with a Date Card.

Aaron looked like he was about to tackle Thomas, whom all the women thought was "so hot."

"When Thomas walked in, all of the girls had a little twinkle in their eye. Somebody is making out with this guy today, and I'll be okay if it's me," Serena P. said in a confessional.

The other men from Katie's season didn't think Thomas was on the show for the right reasons.


Tre and Aaron accused Thomas of being "trash," lying all the time and wanting a platform or to be the next Bachelor. Aaron hoped the women would be able to "see through his bullsh-t."

Maurissa assumed the guys were just jealous of this "hunk" who just walked into Paradise, and Tammy said Thomas was giving her "bad-boy vibes," which was apparently also sexy to Demi.

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOW: WHOM DID 'THE BACHELORETTE' STARS AND THEIR BACHELOR PICKS ULTIMATELY END UP WITH?! (PHOTOS)  

"If Thomas takes Maurissa or Tammy or Tahz, there's going to be trouble," Connor predicted, before Thomas was dubbed "a snake in the grass."

Thomas told Tahzjuan that he was surprised to be a topic of conversation in Paradise, but she noted how she wasn't shocked at all considering he's such a tall good-looking guy.


Thomas was then shown bragging a bit about his height and size, and Aaron said it was a clear "textbook case" of a guy with insecurities.

Aaron admitted that if Thomas asked Tammy out, he'd go crazy, but Joe figured there was a good chance Thomas would ask Serena P. out. Joe said he needed to meet Thomas personally to really figure out if he's not the best guy.

"I can't be mad at her if she goes on a date, because we already talked about that," Joe told the other guys, who clearly hated Thomas.

Thomas then asked Serena P. out on a date and she accepted his invitation. Joe told Serena P. that it was okay to explore her options, and Serena P. said she really liked Joe but wanted to be "open" because it was still early in the process.

"I hope you have a bad time," Joe playfully said with a smile on his face, before telling the cameras, "This feeling sucks. I've been through it before... I could probably lose her today, which would suck."


Joe acknowledged he wasn't romantically interested in anyone else on the beach and he hoped Paradise wouldn't end in heartbreak for him again.

Joe said he didn't want to play the same game he had played with his ex, Kendall Long, on a previous Bachelor in Paradise season when Kendall juggled the former grocery store owner with a long-haired bachelor named Leo Dottavio.

Tahzjuan warned Serena P. that something seemed "off" about Thomas but she'd get to know him better, and Serena P. said she'd be on the lookout for red flags but thought Thomas was really hot and was so attracted to him.

For their date, Serena P. and Thomas went on a Banana Boat ride and played on some floats in the ocean. As Joe poked fun at Thomas' short bright-orange swim trunks, Serena P. gushed about Thomas' hot body and was shown making out with him.

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' COUPLES NOW: WHO DID 'THE BACHELOR' STARS AND THEIR BACHELORETTE PICKS ACTUALLY END UP MARRYING? (PHOTOS) 


"I don't see the relationship, at the point that it's at now, going backwards," Joe told Bachelor in Paradise bartender Wells Adams on the beach, being optimistic about his chances with Serena P.

Later that day, Riley Christian arrived in Paradise and Tammy called him "smoking hot" with his big biceps. Tahzjuan also started sweating, but not from the heat of the sun. Tahzjuan, both nervous and excited, admitted she had decided to appear on Paradise to begin with to meet and hopefully date Riley.

"What a man!" Tahzjuan gushed. "I don't know how to act!"

Riley entered the scene with a Date Card and sat down to chat with multiple women, including Maurissa, who told Riley she's an introvert from Montana and had never gone on a date before with a man.

Maurissa and Tammy both thought Riley was super sweet and smooth, and Tahzjuan said if Riley -- who looks like he's "cut from granite," according to Tre -- offered his Date Card to another girl, her world might come crashing down.

"It's definitely doomsday, nightmare scenario for me if Riley went on a date with Tahz," Tre confessed to the cameras.


Tahzjuan flat out told Riley that she had been hoping he'd walk down the stairs and he's the only person she had been hoping to meet in Paradise. Riley said he likes a woman who knows what she wants, and so he seemed to appreciate Tahzjuan's honesty and candidness.

However, Riley asked Maurissa to join him on the date, and Connor insisted he wasn't worried because he had a great connection with Maurissa. Kenny, however, said Connor "should be extremely worried" with Riley after his girl.

Tahzjuan then made it clear she was upset and stressing about not being chosen, and Tre noticed.

Meanwhile, Thomas and Serena P. drank iced tea and had a little picnic on a beach separate from the Paradise resort. Thomas said his approach to The Bachelorette was that he just wanted to love up on everybody as "a big teddy bear."

Thomas suggested Tre isn't emotionally secure and that Aaron is "full of sh-t," and then he told Serena P. that she should never have to be in the dark about what he's thinking or feeling.

Thomas hoped to pursue a potential relationship with Serena P. and he seemed to love how she speaks her mind and would put him in his place.


RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)

When Thomas and Serena P. returned to the resort, Joe was afraid to hear that Serena P. had a great time and would want to get to know Thomas better. Joe wished Serena P. would gush about Thomas be all over him if she liked him instead of stringing them both along simultaneously.

"If she chooses Thomas, then there's no point for me to stick around," Joe said.

Serena P. immediately shared with Joe how she had told Thomas to pursue other people, and Joe confidently replied with a big smile on his face, "I figured."

Serena P. even told Joe that he's the better kisser, and Joe looked forward to taking their romance to the next level. Serena P. shared how she didn't want to be involved in Thomas' drama with the other men, and Joe said it felt nice to have connected with her.

Thomas said Serena P.'s decision sucked and there was a small window in terms of sparking another connection, and then Tahzjuan was shown telling Thomas that he seemingly liked to lie and mislead people and the cast members before him are good judges of character.


Thomas called the opinions formed about him "ridiculous," and then he attempted to talk to Tre, Aaron, James and Karl. Thomas revealed how Serena P. had said his past was a lot to take in and the drama surrounding him was overwhelming.

And so Thomas apologized to the guys for his mistakes on The Bachelorette, including taking time with Katie away from them. Thomas also confessed to lying to Tre and being an assh-le to Aaron.

"I'm taking full responsibility for that," Thomas said, adding that he wanted to figure out how they could squash their beef and move forward.

Aaron requested a little bit of space and time, admitting he didn't want to interact with Thomas a lot on a day-to-day basis and needed to see the actions to back up Thomas' words. Thomas said he appreciated the honest answer, and Tre said he was "all for" Thomas growing and recreating himself.

RELATED LINK: GREG GRIPPO IS ALLEGEDLY A "SCHEMER" AND FAME-SEEKER WHO TRIED TO GET ON 'THE BACHELORETTE' FOR "YEARS"

But then Serena P. revealed to Tahzjuan and Connor how Tre had been through a lot and needed to be boosted up with love and support because he's emotionally not strong. Serena P. said it was weird Thomas had acted like his father figure or something.


Tahzjuan then shared the news with Tre and how Thomas had said he's emotionally immature.

Tre had just considered offering Thomas grace and forgiveness, and so he was disappointed to hear Thomas had acted the same way on his date with Serena P. as he had behaved on Katie's The Bachelorette season.

Tre confronted Thomas and said this would be the last conversation they'd ever have, and he didn't let Thomas get a word in.

"I wish you the best but that was some snake sh-t. I tried to turn the cheek multiple times... and that's it. Go crazy. Good luck," Tre told the controversial bachelor in anger.

Tre told the cameras that Thomas was "dead" to him and he was doing nothing but "trashbag behavior."

Riley then went on his date with Maurissa, whom he thought was genuine and down to earth with a bright smile. The girls agreed Maurissa was the "most wanted woman on the beach" and she looked stunning in a plunging leopard dress.


Connor looked at Maurissa in awe and told her to have fun and he was excited for her. Connor claimed to not be upset or sad because Maurissa was just going on a date, which he didn't think was a big deal in Paradise.

This marked the first real date Maurissa has ever had, as she's only been mini-golfing with a guy before.

The pair sat in front of a feast comprised of "disgusting-looking things," according to Maurissa, including pig's nose, chicken feet, intestines and bugs.

Lance told the couple they needed to answer questions about themselves or eat something gross of the guest host's choosing.

Riley and Maurissa said they had never slid into a celebrity's DMs, and they both revealed they've never said "I love you" and not meant it. Lance then asked, "How many people have you slept with?"

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' BACHELOR GREG GRIPPO'S SISTER SLAMS KATIE THURSTON AFTER KATIE "LIKES" MEME QUESTIONING GREG'S INTENTIONS


Maurissa and Riley were told to bite into a tongue, and Maurissa said she was totally freaking out. However, the pair actually liked the taste of the tongue.

Maurissa and Riley also chose not to disclose their most embarrassing stories, and so they munched on tripe together. Riley said their chemistry was great and he was loving learning more about the bachelorette.

Maurissa told Lance that she loves sex, and Riley looked pretty happy. He said their connection was blowing his mind and Maurissa seemed open and willing to take risks.

"She's also a little bit of a freak too, and I like that," Riley shared. "She seems down for whatever... and the sexual tension is there. She's looking sexy as hell right now, and I just want it."

Riley went in for a kiss, and then Connor was shown writing a new song about Maurissa.

As for Tahzjuan, she said she felt very deflated over Riley's interest in Maurissa. Tre therefore felt vulnerable and didn't know where his romantic interest stood with him.


Tahzjuan wondered if something was wrong with Tre, and Tre told Tahzjuan that their communication was lacking a little bit but she's the only woman whom he was interested in. Tre said he was playing things by ear and truly enjoyed talking to her.

"I feel like we could have something that could be crazy," Tre told the cameras, before thanking Tahzjuan for being patient with him.

Tahzjuan determined that she wanted to continue getting to know Tre because she liked him a lot.

Natasha then sat down with Joe and said she and Brendan lacked romantic chemistry and they had yet to kiss. Natasha said Brendan complimented her looks but wouldn't make a move on her.

Natasha explained she's used to dating men who are more intentional and less avoidant, and so she hoped Brendan would initiate a little intimacy. Brendan assured Natasha that he was starting to like her more and more everyday, but she said something wasn't clicking for her.

"I don't know what else I can do or want to do," Natasha said. "Brendan is either the most complicated human I've ever met or a con artist. I don't know, I can't tell... He's definitely not getting a rose this week."


As Connor boasted about not being worried about Maurissa and Riley together, the dating couple discussed wanting to be married and have children. Riley said he wanted a real, nice and fun partner, and Maurissa said she needs a man who will reassure and validate her.

Maurissa revealed how she had once gained a lot of weight and was treated differently. Riley told Maurissa she looked beautiful now and was probably beautiful then too because she's got a sweet soul.

Maurissa and Riley kissed, and she said the bachelor had exceeded her expectations. The couple also had sexual chemistry as well, and Maurissa said she couldn't believe this was happening to her.

After a steamy makeout session, Riley shared with Maurissa, "I know of a place where we can go."

Maurissa and Riley ended up in a bed together, and it appeared the couple advanced their relationship past the kissing stage in "The Boom Boom Room."

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)


Interested in more The Bachelor news? Join our The Bachelor Facebook Group!






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski