The Bachelor star Chris Soules has finally closed the book on Ashley Salter, which probably comes as a big relief to fans who were confused by her bizarre behavior.

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During Monday night's episode, the first group date was an overnight camping trip under a full moon. When speaking about how things got a little crazy, Soules immediately brought up Salter.

"Let's talk about Ashley S. Everyone keeps asking me about her. Truth is, the week before, she had been totally normal, and I was excited that night to really get to know her better. Whether it was the full moon or the camping vibe, something brought out Ashley S.'s, uh, 'eccentric' side. When we did sit down to talk, she tried to have a deep conversation with me. The only problem was that I had absolutely no idea what she was saying," Soules wrote in his People blog.

To make matters worse, Salter confessed her love for the Bachelor -- and Soules just wasn't buying it.

"And then she told me she loved me. Yeah, that was uncomfortable," Soules continued. "I honestly didn't know how to respond. I wasn't really flattered because I knew what she was saying wasn't true; it was the full moon talking! That conversation was definitely the last straw in my relationship with Ashley S... I really wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, but since she felt 'nothing,' I know I made the right decision [to oust her]."

Salter wasn't the only bachelorette who struggled to communicate well with Soules. Ashley Iaconetti, for instance, tried to hint she was a virgin by talking about her innocence, however, Soules didn't understand what point she was trying to make.

"I was shocked when Ashley I. snuck into my tent. I was deep in sleep. That's the thing about being the Bachelor. People come knocking at all hours, and you can't exactly tell them you're tired and you'll call them in the morning. Now, maybe I was a little foggy from a night of drinking whiskey around the campfire, but I did not get what Ashley I. was trying to tell me," Soules confessed.

"Here's a little lesson for you ladies: Men are pretty simple when it comes to words. If you have something to tell us, like say, I don't know, that you're a virgin, just tell us! Spell it out for us. Maybe even write it down so we don't forget it. We don't work well with subtlety. If she had just come right out and told me, she would have avoided a lot of the anxiety she felt the rest of the week."

For the week's only one-on-one date, Soules' three sisters visited the bachelorettes and grilled them with questions to determine whom that lucky girl should be. Their opinions meant the world to Soules because they have apparently been "a huge influence" on his life.

"I learned everything I know, especially about women, from them. They're all successful, smart, beautiful, and they're great wives and mothers. I think one of the reasons I'm still single is because I'm constantly trying to find women who live up to the examples they've set for me, and that's not easy to find. They're truly phenomenal women," Soules wrote.

"What you didn't get to see was that my sisters actually came over to my place and told me about their meetings with the girls. They told me their opinions on all the women, and their words resonated with me throughout my whole journey. It was a pretty emotional conversation."

The sisters agreed Jade Roper should be pampered like a princess and then enjoy the evening's special Cinderella-inspired date. In preparation for the ball, Soules apparently didn't have it easy.

"I had private waltz lessons leading up to this date. I'm a farmer. I don't dance the waltz. I don't go to royal balls. I farm sh-t. Thankfully, my dance instructor was pretty darn patient, and after a couple hour-long lessons, I had the simple steps down. I was still pretty nervous that I was going to mess it up," Soules explained.

"When I saw Jade at the top of that staircase, I couldn't help but smile. The girl truly looked like a fairytale princess. I was thrilled that my sisters chose her because she was someone I really wanted to get to know better. I realized that night what a sweet girl she was, and we definitely had a connection... [It] was probably one of the most romantic moments of my life."

Once the season's fourth cocktail party commenced, Soules said things "felt weird" and there was obvious "tension in the air."

"First, Ashley I. came out and told me she was a virgin. I was not expecting that. I definitely didn't realize that's what she was trying to get at during our camping conversation. The truth is though, it didn't bother me that she's a virgin. I actually respect it. Obviously intimacy is a very important part of any relationship, but I would never judge someone -- nor would I make my decision of whom to date -- based on someone's virginity status," Soules wrote in his blog.

After the surprise revelation that Iaconetti's a virgin, Britt Nilsson confronted Soules about things she didn't like or appreciate -- like giving Kaitlyn Bristowe a group-date rose after she had taken her bikini bottom off in front of everyone. Nilsson didn't understand why he was rewarding inappropriate behavior and there was always so much talk of sex in the mansion.

"The hardest part of that night was obviously my conversation with Britt. As you could tell, I was caught off guard and quite literally speechless. I felt like I was being attacked for going with my gut. I really wish the girls hadn't judged me based on my relationships with the other girls and would just focus on the relationship I had with them individually," Soules explained.

"That's why in my speech at the end of the evening, I told them that if they questioned my intentions, they were free to leave. Thankfully, nobody did. And maybe I overreacted a little, but it really did hurt to have my integrity questioned."


About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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