He's not "Milk Toast" after all...

In my last blog I talked about creating a male hero for my saucy heroine. Duran Simmons, I'd called him. In the spaces between the words of my description were unspoken labels: geek, boring, milk toast, colorless. Frankly, at the time, I wondered how I'd make him magnetic enough to attract my heroine.

Since then, he's taught me a few things--and he's taken charge. I'm still not sure how I feel about his commanding attitude so early in the book. Usually I'm further along before the characters start jerking ME around. Not this bloke...and he has me a little concerned.

First off he told me his name was Theo, not Duran. Well, pardon me!! Theo Kalos with a Greek father and an Irish mother, no less, the man claimed. Furthermore, he explained, while he may be a geotechnical engineer and, thus, a tad geekish, he still had an ornery side, a devilish side and a quirky sense of humor. Then, just to prove his point, he whispered something in Kiki Beth's ear and then turned to me and winked, as if to say, "See? I'm no milk toast, lady." Point taken.