Ben Flajnik said he rejected Shawntel Newton on The Bachelor because it was only fair to the women he'd already met. Sounds nice ... but was there another motive?

Namely the chance to get in Courtney Robertson's pants?

"I'm pissed. It's very unfair to me. It's not what I signed up for," she said after Shawntel's surprise return, threatening to pack her bags if Shawntel did not.

Later, after getting the first rose, she whined to Ben about "What's-her-butt" and said that her return was "a lot." Her displeasure with the events was clear.

THEN, after a fainting spell by loser Erika, Ben nixed Shawntel. Did Courtney's veiled threat - or a more overt one we didn't see during that interlude - influence him? Watch:


"There was a connection there with Ben and I and I think he just wasn't being man enough to accept that," Newton said after her dismissal Monday night.

"That's great that he's trying to be fair, but this is about someone you're going to be with for life. I don't think fair comes into play. I just feel so dumb."

Not as dumb as viewers subjected to Courtney Robertson and some of the other women. Wow. Wonder what Ben thinks watching these episodes now.

On a side note, The Bachelor spoilers reported earlier this winter accurately predicted Shawny's return and exit. Will the supposed winner be correct too?!