If you don't watch The Bachelor, then chances are you probably haven't seen the franchise's spin-off, Bachelor in Paradise. For those of you who aren't up to snuff, Bachelor in Paradise basically piles a bunch of infamous ex-Bachelor and Bachelorette contestants from past seasons into a luxurious vacation villa in an exotic locale. It comes as a surprise to absolutely no one that drama and debauchery galore ensue. Enter Taylor Nolan and Derek Peth, one of the more well-known couples who got engaged after the show. Taylor Nolan & Derek Peth's body language showed tons of affection throughout the months they were together, which is why their recent split (confirmed to E! News on Tuesday, June 26) caught fans off guard. But hopefully, their body language may be able to shed some light on what went wrong between the couple, who genuinely seemed to be deeply in love.
Taylor and Derek met on season four, and were basically inseparable from day one. Believe me when I say that I am the first one to call BS on anything and everything having to do with The Bachelor, but even I was convinced that their love was real. Although it did come as a surprise that the resident "mean girl" from Nick Viall's season of The Bachelor was so quick to find her way into sweet Derek's heart, this could have been a case where opposites really did attract. I spoke with body language expert Blanca Cobb to see what the Instagram photos from before their split might reveal about what went down.
"Derek’s body is completely angled towards Taylor," Cobb tells Elite Daily. "There’s no doubt in these photos that Taylor and Derek’s sexual chemistry is off the charts."
If you ask me, this pic totally looks like they are crazy about each other. Derek is grinning like a kid in a candy store and Taylor looks very pleased with him as well.
"Look at how close Taylor is to Derek; she’s essentially standing in between his legs. Her hip is right in front of what I call the 'pleasure zone,'" explains Cobb.
But long-distance relationships are some of the hardest types of relationships to make last, because too often, the time apart can prove to be too much despite the sparks that fly when you're together. Taylor is based in Seattle, and Derek is based in New York. They never lived in the same state.
"You spend a lot of time missing each other," says Cobb. "Sure, there’s talking on the phone and seeing each on through FaceTime, but it isn’t the same."
"Taylor’s hips and legs are draped right up against the side of his body. She has her hand on his chest," explains Cobb. "When you’re physically attracted to and in love with someone, you want to get as close to them as possible, which is exactly what we see in the photo."
Don't ask me why, but something about looking at this picture knowing that they've since broken up makes me sad. They just look so content. Even when you're happy and successful, true contentment can be such an elusive emotion.
"When you’re feeling close and connected to your partner, you tend to get touchy," says Cobb. "Even though their body positions are a bit awkward and stiff, they have their hands laying on each other’s thighs and they’re both leaning toward each other."
However, despite all of their overall positive body language cues, let's be real: Speedy engagements rarely work out in the long-run. There's a reason the large majority of relationships that develop within the bubble of The Bachelor franchise disintegrate soon after.
"When you’re together for a short period of time, like a month, you’re flooded with love hormones and everything they say and do is wonderful," notes Cobb.
Sadly, this intensity can be hard to sustain once you're back in the real world, especially with the added pressure of living in different places.
In comparison to more staged photos, there's something extra special about catching a couple in a candid moment.
"Derek’s touching what he likes (her tush) and sending a silent message to the world that she’s taken," says Cobb.
TBH, seeing all of these pictures really makes me wonder what went wrong between these two. In so many ways, it really does seem like they were a solid match, and we may never know what exactly made them decide to part ways. However, as Cobb pointed out, it typically takes much longer than a month to asses if someone is a truly compatible life partner, and distance may have very well played a role. Who knows? With as much love as these two seemed to have for each other, maybe they'll reunite down the line. We can only hope!
Check out the “Best of Elite Daily” stream in the Bustle App for more stories just like this!
