Corinne Olympios has already been called a "firecracker" and "troublemaker" by Nick Viall, but The Bachelor star apparently likes her edge.
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Viall had a wonderful and smooth week of dates with his bachelorettes in Los Angeles, but once he called off a cocktail party and replaced it with a pool party at the end of Monday night's episode, the Bachelor found himself in some hot water.
"I woke up the morning of the Rose Ceremony and knew I needed to shake things up a bit. I didn't regret sending [Dominique Alexis] home the night before, but it certainly reminded me of how much pressure these women must be feeling, especially since it was still the first few weeks of starting this journey," Viall wrote in his People blog.
"I decided that a pool party was the best choice to get to know these women in a more natural setting without the pressure of a cocktail party. I was also interested in showing off my BBQ skills because if I might be so bold to admit it, I am a true master at the grill."
Viall said Alexis Waters summed up the occasion best when she described it as, "Seventeen girls, one pool party, one Nick -- let's see what happens." The Bachelor noted there was certainly a lot to see.
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"It was awesome just how hyped up the women were for the pool party. We had the BBQ going, pool floats and something you guys didn't see, an impromptu dance party. When Corinne pulled me into the bounce castle, I honestly didn't expect it to become the controversy it did," Viall said.
"By then, Corinne had proven herself to be a woman who was always thinking of a unique way to get my attention. It didn't surprise me that she would want to pull me aside to do something different."
Viall and Olympios jumped up and down in this bounce castle, and their fun was laced with kissing and flirting. While it seemed innocent at first, Viall lied down and the blonde beauty straddled his waist for a steamy makeout session inside the castle, which many of her fellow bachelorettes watched from a distance.
"After a few minutes of jumping around and kissing, I felt like it was time to go back to the party. The chemistry between us was strong, but there were so many other qualities that drew me to her," Viall revealed.
Several women then confronted Viall about his decisions and why he'd be so interested in someone like Olympios, who led with her sexuality, when he's supposedly looking for a wife and life partner. Raven Gates was one woman with a strong opinion, and Vanessa Grimaldi was another.
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"When the other women started to question her, and then question me -- it was hard to answer. I stand by Corinne and her confidence," Viall confessed.
During my time on [Andi Dorfman]'s [The Bachelorette] season and [Kaitlyn Bristowe]'s season, I too was questioned constantly. I appreciated Corinne for always putting us first. But when Vanessa started to question me, I stepped back and had to think about it."
Based on Viall's reaction to Grimaldi, it's clear there was a level of admiration there.
"Were my actions contradicting what I was here for? Was I being unfairly called out? I had so much respect for all the women and I've always respected someone who challenges me. I honestly felt sick because I wanted to be fair, but follow my heart. Could I do both?" Viall wrote.
"Next week, you'll see how things go down with Vanessa and I, as well as the rest of the women. I know the decisions I make can't please everyone. The pool party didn't exactly end on the note I wanted."
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski