Dolores Catania Reveals She's Living with Boyfriend Paulie Connell: 'He Wants to Make My Life Better'

Things are getting serious between The Real Housewives of New Jersey star Dolores Catania and her boyfriend, Paul "Paulie" Connell.

When the reality star was asked during the "Let Me Tell You Something About Our Families" panel at BravoCon 2022 if she'd consider moving in with Connell, she revealed, "I already do," adding that they decided to take that next step in their relationship "last December."

She explained, "Paulie wanted that," joking that she basically "stayed there" and "never left."

Dolores, 51, tells PEOPLE that "Paul is very hands-on in my life" and is a constant support system.

"He's always complimenting me. He wants to make my life better. And when I had first met him, he told me that's what he wanted. When he came into my life, he goes, 'I know you're very independent, but I want to be a part of your stuff, so let me.'"

"And as independent as I am and never needed that, I had never heard somebody say that. So I kind of melted," she says. "It just kind of broke down a little wall that I always had of being this tough girl."

During BravoCon's Real Housewives of New Jersey panel, Dolores told fans more about Connell, who is from Dublin, Ireland.

"He's a very cool guy, he's nice, he's very manly. He reminds me of the kind of guys I grew up with. His family is a lot like mine," she said.

RELATED VIDEO: RHONJ's Dolores Catania Talks About Airing Out Her Feelings After the End of Her Relationship

Even her ex-husband Frank Catania — with whom she shares Gabrielle Catania, 27, and Frankie Catania, 24 — is a fan of her new beau. "Me and Paulie get along just fine. It's gotten to the point where it's become a good friendship," he said during the panel. "He and Dolores and my girlfriend [Brittany] and I go out to dinner together."

Frank added, "We've come a long, long way. I never had problem with Paulie, all I wanted him to do was be around Dolores and I at the same time so he could see that our relationship is not something for us to worry about. Now he sees, I'll do anything for her."

And though things appear to be heating up between the Dolores and her boyfriend, the reality star assured fans that she is not yet engaged.

Addressing the ring on her finger, she said, "No, this is not an engagement ring. I'm going to switch it because a lot of people are saying I'm engaged. I'm going to put it on this finger."

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Dolores went Instagram-official with Connell this past Valentine's Day when she shared her first photo of the couple, showing the two cozied up while smiling at the camera.