The 53-year-old’s type phrases weren’t misplaced on Emma, who reacted with, “That makes me happy, because sometimes as a pro, when the journey comes to an end, it’s all special and unique. It makes me concerned like, ‘How is my celebrity, my friend gonna feel?’ But I think that we both understand that we just kind of ride this out as long as it goes and understand the special part of this season is the friendship as well as the memories dancing.” 

And don’t get it crooked: It’s only a friendship. Nearest all, simply latter moment they shot down romance rumors. 

“We do want to address this story, this whole thing that’s going out and about, about whether Emma and I are dating,” Mauricio—who’s lately separated from spouse Kyle Richards—mentioned in an Oct. 26 Instagram Tale. “About whether we went out on a date. For full clarity, we are not dating.” 

Emma echoed with, “We’re not dating. We are really good friends. We’ve been dancing together for six weeks, four hours a day, every single day.”

Dancing With the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC. Store studying to peer Mauricio and extra celebrities’ implausible DWTS frame transformations.