You’re driving around with a guy when he reaches over and touches your leg. Is it an accident? Is he making a move? Is he just being friendly? Chances are he’s flirting with you, but there are other reasons a guy might put his hand on your thigh, too. We’ll fill you in on all the possibilities, as well as show you how to respond based on what you want from the situation. Then, we’ll clue you in to other signs he’s interested so that you can read his signals loud and clear. “I’m attracted to you.” Reaching to put his hand on your thigh is a classic move in the flirting handbook, especially when the two of you are already having a good time. It’s often a way of saying, “I really enjoy myself around you, and now I want to make it clear that I’m into you.” That physical contact is usually the first step to breaking the barrier of touch. He’s likely hoping that you feel the same way and might reciprocate his touch. Reaching over to touch your thigh is especially romantic when you’re riding in a car together. If he’s driving, his movement is already limited, so touching your leg is one of the go-to moves.“I want to protect you.” If a guy likes you, he probably feels protective of you, or like he needs to come to your defense—it’s one way to show he cares.[1] By touching your thigh, he might be trying to show you he’s taken it upon himself to be your protector, which might point to his romantic feelings. After all, we want to protect the ones we love.“I feel possessive over you.” Men often flirt by showing dominant body language.[2] This could include things like wrapping an arm around your shoulder, opening the car door for you, and yes, placing their hands on your thigh. He might be telling you that he feels like you’re his, and he wants you to know it. He’s proud to be sitting next to you, and wants the rest of the world to know it, too. Out of all the people around, you chose to sit next to him. Of course, dominance is only sweet up to a certain point. If he’s aggressive or overly possessive, it may be time to reconsider his status as boyfriend material. “I want to see how you’ll respond.”Sometimes a guy is into you, but wants to pick up on other signals before he leans in for a kiss or professes his love. Placing a hand on your thigh could be one of the ways that he gauges your attraction to him, especially if he’s shy. If you respond positively by smiling, making eye contact, or reciprocating, then he knows he has the green flag. If you pull away or act nervous, then a respectable guy will get the message and take his hand back. “I want to take our relationship further.” Sometimes, you and a guy already know that you’re into each other, but you haven’t bridged the physical gap yet. If he initiates contact with his hand on your thigh, he might be asking a sort of question, like, “Is it okay if I touch you?” and that’s your opportunity to respond. If you’re both down, then congrats! You’ve just moved your relationship status from “talking” to “touching,” and things will probably get more serious from there. “I want to take things to the bedroom.” Sometimes a guy touches your thigh to signal that he wants to make things a bit more intimate between the two of you, and not just in the hand-holding kind of way. This is especially true if he’s driving you home, or if you’ve really felt the sparks while chatting at a bar or a restaurant. He’s just touching your thigh for now, but he may be hoping that things get a little more passionate behind closed doors. “I’m being vulnerable in front of you.” It takes a lot for some men to show any sort of emotion, and romantic advances require a certain amount of vulnerability.[3] Touching your thigh could be his way of showing you that he’s comfortable enough around you to be tender. He’s communicating that he trusts you and is willing to let his guard down around you to take that big leap toward physical intimacy. In this situation, taking his hand can be a welcome and powerful way to acknowledge his feelings. “I want to show my support for you.” Research shows that physical contact with another person can help relieve stress or anxiety.[4] We often touch people who are close to us to show them that we’re here for them, even if we don’t think of them romantically. By touching your thigh, he might be telling you that he’s on your team or that he has your back, especially if you’ve been having a tough conversation or confiding in him. “Oops, that was an accident.” Of course, and we hate to say it, there’s always the chance that the touch was accidental, and that everyone’s sending and receiving the wrong signals.[5] He might have been reaching for something, or misplaced his hand when he meant to place it at his side. The good news is, if he’s into you, he’ll probably give your more signals, so look for other signs that he’s flirting, like leaning in close or offering other small touches. “We’re just good friends.” Romantic partners aren’t the only people who offer each other tender touches. Family members and even good friends do things like touch each others’ shoulders or even hold hands.[6] If you’ve known each other for a while, it may just be that he feels comfortable showing some platonic intimacy, especially if he touches you in other non-romantic ways, like patting your shoulder or offering hugs when you see each other. To tell if a good friend is into you, look for other signs, like giving you frequent compliments, teasing … Read more