'Joe Millionaire' Carolyn Moore Says She Rejected Kurt Sowers After the Show

Carolyn Moore is getting the last laugh, some might say -- after getting blindsided on the finale of "Joe Millionaire: For Richer or Poorer," she says she ended up rejecting Kurt Sowers months after the show.

TMZ broke the story ... Kurt and Amanda Pace, the woman he picked over Carolyn, ended things the month after filming the show last fall. Now Carolyn tells us Kurt reached out to her following that split, but alas ... he couldn't make their relationship work either.

Carolyn says they were both curious about trying again because of the connection they made on the show, but she soon realized Kurt still had issues with her platonic relationship with the father of her child.

She says that's why she's shutting the door completely on Kurt -- rejecting a romantic relationship, or even a friendship. She explained why the "just friends" thing would not work with him.

ICYMI ... Kurt shocked fans, and Carolyn, when he chose Amanda.

The whole season it was clear he and Carolyn had a genuine connection ... but he still got cold feet in the finale, as he constantly worried about Carolyn's previous relationship.