Caution: Men at Work

Song of the day: Addicted by Saving Abel

There’s a traffic light by my house that is particularly long. Normally, I wait impatiently for the darn thing to turn switch. I tap the steering wheel in agitation and try to “will” it from red to green. It really is ridiculously long.

But lately, I haven’t minded the wait. A filling station at the corner had been recently torn down and a group of construction workers milled about doing their construction worker duties. One, I noticed almost immediately, struck me as very, very easy on the eyes. He stood waist deep with a shovel in a hole, digging away with masculine grace. I drooled, um, admired him. His body was well-built, he wore dark shades and his dirty jeans fit just right on his lean hips. Instead of “willing” the light to change, I found myself “willing” him to remove his shirt. Darn it, the light changed instead. The one time my telepathic thoughts work and it had to be on the traffic light.  Stealing another appreciative glance, I thought about rushing home for a lawn chair, snacks and a cocktail. Would the lead man at the construction sight run me off after setting up camp to stare at the hottie with the shovel? Probably.

This got me to thinking about all the attributes and tendencies of men that drive women wild. How many authors model their heroes (undeniably Alpha) after real life hunks? Where do these inspirations come from?

Let’s ponder on that for a moment. Let’s explore some of the little things that can set a yummy hero apart from an average Joe, making a woman nutty.

Picture, if you will, a gorgeous guy in any one of these scenarios: Straddling a Harley. Riding high in a saddle atop a powerful steed. Testosterone induced concentration on the field during a sports game. Suggestive grinding and shredding on a guitar. Effortless shooting of a .50 caliber gun (and that’s a big gun!). Precise gear shifting in his shiny sports car. Muscles straining against a tight t-shirt. Dirt or grease smears from a hard day’s work.

We women undoubtedly go to pieces over the quivering, wicked smile. We get chills from the tortured, intense stare. And we melt over the possessive, deep kiss, the rough hands, the authoritative voice, and the perfect round butt. Mmm-mmm.

I think many of us also value a sexy 5 o’clock shadow, a playful sense of humor and a possessive hand resting on our lower backs.

These traits can be found in everyday guys. Guys like detectives, firemen, mechanics, surfers, musicians, baseball players, cowboys, bikers, steel/factory workers, jet fighters, soldiers, next door neighbors, hot sexy guys with shovels, and, of course, the ones we love most.

Depending on the genre, an author can go crazy amping up their own Alpha nuances by studying the men around them.

There are other not-so-obvious quirks and physical characteristics worth noting. Let’s not underestimate the power of the minute details. Imagine taut muscles rounding his calves or the twitching of the tendons in his forearms as he grabs, maneuvers or caresses. The way his lips wrap around a beer bottle. The walk, wide and confident, yet relaxed. Envision the way the hair on his arms, legs and chest smooth against his body when he’s wet.

Oh my. I’d better stop there. I could go on and on.

So, what kind of obscure manly trait or action do you go bonkers over? Come on, share.