Southern Charm’s Salley Carson on Why Austen Couldn’t Sleep With Taylor, Talks “Getting to Know” Craig After Rumored “Date,” Who Was in Hot Seat at Reunion, & Teases Shep and Molly Romance

Salley Carson claims there’s only one reason Austen Kroll and Taylor Ann Green didn’t have sex amid Southern Charm season nine — and it apparently had nothing to do with Taylor’s past with Shep Rose.

Before opening up about her relationship with Craig Conover, 36, sharing who was in the hot seat at the reunion, who she hasn’t spoken to since, and hinting at Shep’s potential romance with Molly O’Connell, 37, on Watch What Happens Live, Salley, 30, looked back on what Austen, 37, told her about his near encounter with Taylor, 30, and reacted to Shep’s decision to forgive them both.

“I had a conversation with Austen in the Bahamas that was not filmed, and he just kind of told me that they definitely got handsy with each other,” Salley told Us Weekly on February 24. “And more happened than a makeout, but not sex.”

According to Salley, Austen informed her that “the only reason that they didn’t go all the way” was because he was “too intoxicated” and his “equipment wasn’t working.”

As fans will recall, Austen and Taylor’s relationship was a hot topic during season nine.

While they both initially denied the hookup entirely, they ultimately admitted to sharing a kiss. And despite the betrayal, Shep, 44, forgave them and moved on, which came as no surprise to Salley.

“Shep is a very neutral person. I feel like he’s kind of, ‘You only have one life. Why would you spend it getting mad at your friends or waste your time being upset with someone?’” she revealed. “He’s always been that way.”

Meanwhile, on the February 27 episode of WWHL, Salley was questioned about her alleged “date” with Craig, who is newly single following a split from Paige DeSorbo, 32, at the end of last year.

“[It was] the night before the reunion. … [and] it was not just the two of us there. It was a close friend of his and then his assistant, Jack. We had some chaperones,” she clarified.

Then, when asked if she would date Craig, Salley added, “I’m just getting to know him as a friend right now.”

That said, during a game of questions about which Bravolebrities she’d “swipe right” on, Salley confirmed she was interested in Craig and several other network stars, including Captain Jason Chambers, 52, West Wilson, 28, Imrul Hassan, and Carl Radke, 40.

As for Shep’s past flame, Sienna Evans, 26, saying she was portrayed as the villain on the show, Salley disagreed.

“I don’t really think she’s been made out to be a villain. She’s a sweet girl. But I just think that, you know, she knew who Shep was, and that’s probably why she was interested in him in the beginning,” she reasoned.

Looking back on Thursday’s episode of Southern Charm, Salley admitted she “started to feel a little bad for Jarrett “JT” Thomas, 39, amid his chat with Madison LeCroy, 34.

“I think he’s really great at this, and I got some things off my chest at the reunion with him. One step at a time with him,” she explained.

Continuing on about the reunion, Salley said “JT and Craig” were in the hot seat most, and she said that, on a scale of one to 10, the tea that Craig spilled about his split from Paige was a “10.”

Also on the live broadcast, after confirming she and Joe Bradley, 28, “hooked up twice,” Salley suspected Taylor’s boyfriend, Gaston Rojas, avoided the group during filming “probably because he has some things to hide.”

“I don’t know if they’re end game, but she seems like she wants them to be end, so hopefully they are, and hopefully they’re happy,” she added, noting that she hadn’t spoken to Taylor since the reunion.

Later, on the WWHL: After Show, Salley was asked if Shep would ever consider Molly as a partner and if she felt they would work out.

“I do think that they would make a good match, and ya’ll [will] just have to see. You’re in for a treat,” she teased.

Southern Charm season 10 airs Thursdays at 8/7c on Bravo.