Um, 'Bachelor' Arie Just Gave Away His Feelings For Lauren B., So Is This Season Over?

It's hard to believe that there are only a few weeks left of The Bachelor this season, but things are getting real between Arie Luyendyk Jr. and his remaining contestants. In fact, with hometown dates happening next week, it's time to get serious. On Monday night's episode, Bachelor Arie told Lauren B. he's falling in love with her, and it seems like these two could really have a future together.

It happened during a one-on-one date in Tuscany, which obviously super romantic, because duh, it's Tuscany. They were outside, having dinner under the stars, when Lauren just so happened to admit that she's falling in love with Arie. After she confessed her true feelings, Arie walked away from her and went off by himself, which was confusing for those of us watching at home and for Lauren, who thought she'd just made a huge mistake opening up.

It was touch and go there for a minute, but fortunately, he came back. Arie said he had to walk away because he was feeling the same away about her, not because he wasn't. After an emotional moment, he told her, "I'm falling so deeply in love with you," and boom. There it was. The first official L bomb from Arie of the season.

It seems like that moment he took to himself was definitely needed, because once he returned, he had his thoughts together and was able to express everything he was trying to say to Lauren how he meant it. The talk they had was a pretty loaded one, but at that point, it was necessary.

He didn't stop there, though. In his ITM interview, he went on to say that it meant a lot to him that she was so open with him — something he's said all along is an important quality in the person he ends up with — and added that he just wanted to "grab her and tell her I love her," which is just about the most serious statement he's made about any of the women so far.

And, obviously, Arie handed over that date rose, which means he's officially going to Lauren's hometown of Virginia Beach to meet her family and figure out if it's a situation he's ready to marry into. It's a pretty big step for two people who have only been on a handful of dates, but that's how The Bachelor works. At least they've gotten that all important one-on-one time together, and more private time away from the rest of the women will be coming on their hometown date, too.

Besides, it seems like their feelings are real enough at this point that it might be the right time for them to take that step so they can find out if they can keep moving forward in their relationship or not. For those of us who have never tried to find love on a reality show, it seems a little wacky that they could be feeling things for each other on a love level this early on, but you know what they say: When you know, you know.

There are only four women left, including Lauren, so things are starting to tighten up. After seeing them talk so freely about their feelings for each other, though, it seems like if things keep going the way they're going, Lauren might not have anything to worry about.

Arie's forged a lot of deep connections with the women remaining on his season, so it seems like it's definitely going to be some tough competition from here on out. For now, though, it seems Lauren's got this thing on lock.