“I knew around week six in the house that there was something about her I would not be able to ignore,” the “Mornings With Memphis” host, 37, exclusively told Us Weekly on Wednesday, December 2.

However, the couple did not make their romance official until “this past week,” according to Garrett. “We both had to respectfully take care of situations we were in and needed some time,” he explained. “That time apart made me realize I couldn’t be without her.”

Us confirmed on Tuesday, December 1, that Abbott, 38, and Garrett are dating less than two months after competing on Big Brother. They were in relationships with other people while filming, but their respective romances ended after the show.

Garrett maintained that his time with Abbott did not cross a line while they were on the CBS reality show. “We did not kiss in the Big Brother house, and we were never in the jury house together,” he said.

Their code word, “laundry,” was innocent too. “We would call ‘laundry time’ the time that we knew the live feeds were off,” he revealed.

Garrett emphasized his strong bond with Abbott, telling Us: “Christmas and I have a relationship that was built from the inside out. Her contagious smile and her unapologetic laugh is what I fell for, and it just so happens she is smoking hot.”

The health coach announced her romance with the Garrett Hospitality Group founder on Tuesday. “Love is not found, it’s built,” she captioned a series of Instagram photos. “@memphisgarrett (I promise it wasn’t a kiss) #2020 #unexpected #christmasabbott #memphisgarrett #bb22.”

Abbott exclusively told Us on Tuesday that the twosome “just started dating” after becoming friends on the show earlier this year. “We both were dating people while we were in the house, but each of our relationships were only a few months starting in March of this year,” she said. “Nothing long-term for each of us. No one was inappropriate.”

The pair sparked dating speculation last month when they were spotted spending time together at a bar in Florida.

This story originally appeared on: US Magazine - Author:Erin Crabtree