Juan Pablo & Clare's Sexy Time: Huge Mistake?

Monday night's Bachelor was a doozy. As Juan Pablo continued on his journey to find love with the 11 remaining women, it became clear that lust could also win his heart. While Clare, the resident outsider of the house full of bachelorettes didn't get a one-on-one date, her screen time certainly made it look like she did. During the group date, the ladies paired off in twos and hopped into small round boats for a jaunt down the river. Clare was left partnerless, so rode with J.P. instead. He quickly halted the boat near some tall river plants and began planting big smooches on the 32-year-old hairstylist.

During the cocktail party, Clare grabbed J.P. first for a chat, and J.P. led Clare to his personal abode, where they jumped in the pool and began making out. Previously, J.P. had said he didn't want to be kissing tons of girls because it might upset/confuse Camila. But J.P., actions speak louder than words. Even during his night of "no kissing" he still managed to kiss some of the girls. At this point, his kissing tally is no less than any previous Bachelor, and his going-a-hell-of-a-lot-further tally is about to get some points.

That night, when all the girls had gone home, Clare snuck back out and accosted Juan Pablo at his apartment (because he showed her where he lives, the naughty boy). She suggested an ocean swim, and he eagerly ripped off his shirt, running towards the beach arm in arm. It appears the camera crew stayed at the shore, because what was said in the water couldn't be heard. As the waves crashed over them the pair became closer and closer, hugging one another's bodies under the waves. Hmmm.

From the narration that followed from both Clare and J.P. it appeared the two might have gone all the way. While no such words were uttered, that's what words like "I don't regret it" from Clare seemed to be inflicting. At the elimination cocktail party, J.P. pulled Clare aside and told her that he regretted their evening. Clare was dumbfounded. He said what they did was disrespectful to Camila, which, to be honest, it totally was. BUT, from the eagerness of J.P.'s actions, is clearly something he was not thinking about at the time. Clare begins to tear up, understandably, and asks why he didn't stop them if that's what he thought. He said he didn't want to make her feel bad.

He didn't want to make her feel bad? So every time a woman or man asks for sex, it's polite to just go ahead with it even if the other party feels uncomfortable? There's something terribly wrong with this picture. First of all, if Juan Pablo truly did not want to go swimming with Clare, it was his responsibility to say something. By saying he did it anyways means he values Clare's feelings over his daughter's. It also means he doesn't have the balls to say no, or to stand up for what he believes in. He is also very clearly putting all the blame on Clare: Yes, we hooked up in the water, and yes, it was all your fault. For Juan Pablo, being the gentlemen in this situation meant not saying no, going against everything he's preached all season (fairness, being a good role model for his daughter) and partaking in a 4 a.m. ocean swim with a bikini-clad Clare. But this is all bullshit. We know why Juan Pablo didn't hesitate for some extra one-on-one time with Clare, because we've heard his ramblings on Clare's sexiness all season.

In his Bachelor blog, Juan Pablo addressed the controversy in a section called, "Mistake with Clare." He writes:

After the party I was relaxing in my room, watching baseball when someone knocked on my door. It was Clare. She came to thank me for the great day and she wanted to jump in the ocean for the first time with me. She was so happy that I didn't want to reject her, but I definitely made a mistake.

The next day I felt guilty because Clare got more time with me than the other women. I regretted giving Clare the extra time. Also, I didn't think it was a good example for my daughter to watch daddy going into the ocean with a girl at night. I already had a great day with her and even taking her to my pool was something that I should not have done. Honestly, my mistake.

So he apologized. But what he apologized for... "she was so happy that I didn't want to reject her" ... was really a pretty pathetic apology. Perhaps instead, he should be apologizing not to the audience, but to Clare, for slut-shaming her on national television, for putting all of the blame of their encounter on her, and for not taking responsibility for his actions. He's the one with the daughter, he's the one who set these boundaries for himself.

Also, perhaps he should apologize to the other women. If I was a woman vying for J.P.'s affections, I would want to know that he snuck out and possibly had sex with one of my roommates after hours. What if he ends up with a woman who isn't Clare? Will their relationship be tarnished when that woman finds out about the 4 a.m. swim sesh?

This is not the first time J.P. has been in hot water. Yes, I'm referring to his anti-gay Bachelor comments. But this time around, Juan Pablo had every opportunity to redeem himself. An apology (for the right reasons) and to the right people (Clare, the rest of his gals) could have worked wonders to repair his reputation.

Images: ABC