Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev Take Relationship Public With PDA-Filled Outing

Nikki Bella and her former Dancing With the Stars partner, Artem Chigvintsev, seem to be taking their relationship public — at least in the eyes of paparazzi.

The new couple was spotted out at a romantic lunch at Joan’s on Third in Los Angeles over the weekend. In photos published by TMZ, they can be seen strolling arm in arm and kissing.

Rumors of a romance between Bella and Chigvintsev have been flying for weeks, especially after the two were spotted together in public a few times. Last week, the Total Bellas star was spotted leaving Chigvintsev’s home in Escondido, California on Tuesday morning.

A recent report claimed that their relationship was “moving forward” after the duo was spotted at Wally’s in Beverly Hills in February. Witnesses told TMZ that the former dance partners drank wine and shared a meat and cheese board, and that “the date went on for hours…lots of flirting.”

A source even said that the two have been spending a fair amount of time together recently and that Bella is “really into” the dance pro and wants the relationship to turn serious.

A source told Us Weekly in early January that Bella and Chigvintsev had been seeing each other “for a while.” They were seen together at the farmers market in Studio City, California over Christmas weekend and Chigvintsev also joined the wrestling star for a flirty lunch on the set of Total Bellas.

But Bella told Access Live that she’s not in the market for a full-fledged relationship.

“I’m not looking to be serious with anyone right now,” she said. “I’m just looking to have fun. I’m just in a fortunate position that I get to go on these dates with a lot of amazing guys. I mean, not a lot, it’s only been a few.”

“I moved to L.A., so it was natural,” she added of reconnecting with Chigvinstev. “Artem had asked me to the farmers market so I was like, ‘Sure.’ And then paparazzi kind of killed it and I was like, ‘OK I’m out of here.’”

Bella and Chigvintsev originally met when Bella appeared on Season 25 of Dancing With the Stars while she was still engaged to ex-fiancé John Cena. The two had notable chemistry, though Bella noted in a recent episode of Total Bellas that chemistry doesn’t always indicate a romantic relationship.

“Chemistry is not just romantic,” she told her sister, Brie Bella. “I have amazing chemistry with people in the ring, people don’t call me a lesbian.”

“You don’t think the media’s gonna blow it out of proportion and make up all this B.S.?” Brie asked, to which Nikki replied, “I just think that’s crazy.”