The pair head back to the yacht and it may have been his sportsmanship that caught her initial eye, but it soon becomes clear that Anna is getting drunk of a beefcake feast. She tells us she is like a giddy schoolgirl because he is so gorgeous. She attempts to find out more about him by asking about his aspirations but every time he speaks she’s reduced to giggles. He tells her repeatedly that he’s a hopeless romantic and a dreamer and this makes her a little nervous. She tells us in interview that she prefers men who have goals and plans instead of dreamers and romantics, but in the scenes of the date she is clearly taken in by his smile and his charms.
He mentions Prince Charming and she interrupts him and says that Prince Charming doesn’t exist. Poor Anna. Prince Charming does indeed exist! It’s just that a lot of women don’t realize that Prince Charming burps, scratches where it itches, and puts his jerkins on one leg at a time just like all other human beings. The real Prince Charmings of the world are just regular looking guys who battle the dragons of the workplace and rescue fair maidens by being their partners instead of their rescuers. That’s the whole point of this show! (The preceding message was brought to you by the Legion of Lonely Guys. They meet every Saturday night in a chatroom near you.)
Rocky soon shows us that the one thing he really has that the Average Joes lack is confidence. With a smooth and practiced charm, he suggests that he and Anna adjourn to the hot tub. She readily agrees and soon they are cuddling and sipping champagne amidst the bubbling waters. Shortly thereafter, he deftly sweeps the glass out of her hand and kisses her. Anna tells us that she completely forgot about the cameras. No doubt about it, there is a passionate chemistry between them. Truth be told, there isn’t room for much else between them either for they are soon molding to one another and generating so much heat that the water itself threatens to blaze. “I was in a trance,” Anna tells us. “When he looks into my eyes it’s like he’s looking into my soul.” For Rocky’s part, he tells us that kissing Anna confirmed all his thoughts about her. “I know I have to be fair to both sides,” Anna continues, “but I don’t think there’s any girl out there that wouldn’t do what I did.” “Anna will be mine,” a very twitterpated Rocky informs us. “That’s the way it was meant to be.” Just in case we think the season is over and Anna’s decision has been made, Anna tells us as the date concludes, “I think that kind of passion can be very dangerous. Can it last? I’d like to hope so, but can I base a whole relationship on it? That’s something I’d really have to think about.”
The next day is set aside completely for Anna and the new guys. The afternoon is spent playing volleyball on the beach. Anna takes advantage of the time and chats a bit with each of the men individually. Michael responds to her questions about how he’s getting along with everyone by telling her he trusts Craig and Carson. She learns that she and Gregg share a common love of traveling in Europe. Craig tells her that he bartends and models, but he really wants to get his architectural degree. Anna tells us that Brad has great energy about him and that he’s always smiling. What he tells her is that he noticed that she doesn’t look away when a man is looking at her and he finds that to be a display of confidence that he really admires. She strikes an immediate chord with Josh when she learns that they are both from Las Vegas. He tells her that he is Elton John's private bartender, which is odd because his NBC bio lists him as a mortgage worker. She is amazed that they have a lot of common friends but have never met before the show. When she begins to chat with Carson she tells us she’s put off because she feels he’s putting on airs for her and won’t open up to show who he really is.
As the sun sets, Anna once again gets to select one lucky guy for a private date aboard the yacht. Claiming homesickness, she invites Josh. She makes note of the fact that when he arrives, he requests an alcohol-free drink. He tells her he really doesn’t care much for alcohol and has been sober for quite some time. Anna is a bit taken aback and tells us that she’s somewhat ashamed because she had pegged Josh as a typical Las Vegas party guy and had judged him all wrong.
Josh opens up completely to her and confesses to taking ballet lessons as a kid. He was so into it, in fact, that his letterman jacket has the nickname “Twinkle Toes” embossed on the back. Rather than be put off by this, Anna is thrilled that he is willing to be this open and honest with her. Viewers should note the number of times she’s made openness and honesty the yardstick by which she measures the men. I’ll bet it will make it easier to understand her elimination choices as the season progresses. After a while, Josh and Anna rise and share a couple of kisses that lack a lot of the fire and passion that was present between Anna and Rocky. Anna describes the kisses as “not too much, not too little… perfect.” I would describe them as almost gentlemanly and give props to Josh for not trying to swallow Anna’s entire head in one slurp.
The big story however, isn’t happening on the yacht. Back at the mansion, the Doublemint Twins are back in action. Like true predators, they have culled what they perceive to be the weakest Joe from the herd and are beginning to go to work on him. In a classic mind control maneuver, they start badgering Arthur. Carson tells him that it took less than a minute and a half for him to realize that Anna was pure bull droppings. He doesn’t get into the finer points of pure versus impure droppings, but he does tell Arthur that Anna is an opportunist. She’s just on the show for career exposure and doesn’t give a crap about any of the guys. Arthur, who has been completely smitten with Anna since their private date, defends her with utmost certitude… at first. As the hours go by the tag-team hunk assault begins to gain a beachhead. When asked if he thinks for one moment Anna would have fallen for a guy like him if they weren’t on the show, his confidence is clearly shaken. They tell him that he should look for a girl like him – someone who would respect him for the sort of person he is.
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