Pet Peeve: I Love You, So I Know What's Best for You

Uggh. These guys are the worst. The story usually goes like this:

Alpha Man has an anonymous sexual encounter with the Heroine. Alpha Man believes he has discovered True Love because he has never "felt" anything like this with any of the other women he's banged. Heroine moves on with her life until Alpha Man hunts her down and tries to convince her this is True Love. Heroine tells him it was over before it started, but Alpha Man keeps trying to convince her it is True Love. Heroine realizes she's pregnant from their one-night stand, Alpha Man begins stalking her in earnest, and Heroine submits and agrees that she and her baby will Be With Him Forevah.

Man, that creeped me out just typing it, but I've read this story too many times. What makes this character/plotline, not just uncomfortable, but downright dangerous?

Let's see. Hero assumes he knows what's best for the Heroine. Hero doesn't listen when Heroine communicates in plain English that she's Not Interested. Hero puts all his energy into convincing her about True Love instead of respecting her wishes or letting her fall in love with him in her own good time. Hero's primary motive is meeting his own desires by convincing Heroine to love him, even if this is the Exact Opposite of what she communicates will meet her own needs. Hero's ideas about love (and babies' legitimacy) are more important to him than Heroine's wishes or ideas. Hero insinuates himself into Heroine's life until she eventually wears down and marries the sick bastard.

Girlfriend, don't marry this guy; get a restraining order! He is obsessive and self-centered and fundamentally does not believe women have a right to make their own decisions. Red Alert! Red Alert!

Okay, how should this story read? How about. . .

Alpha Man has an anonymous sexual encounter with the Heroine. Alpha Man realizes there is more to life to casual sex and decides to begin pursuing Real Relationships in the future.

OR

Alpha Man has an anonymous sexual encounter with the Heroine. Alpha Man realizes there is more to life to casual sex. Alpha Man hunts Heroine down and tries to convince her this is True Love. Heroine tells him it was over before it started. Alpha Man decides to begin pursuing Real Relationships in the future.

OR

Alpha Man has an anonymous sexual encounter with the Heroine. Alpha Man realizes there is more to life to casual sex. Alpha Man hunts Heroine down and tries to convince her this is True Love. Heroine tells him it was over before it started. Heroine realizes she made a mistake by blowing him off, contacts Alpha Man, and asks for another chance at a Real Relationship with him.

OR

Alpha Man has an anonymous sexual encounter with the Heroine. Alpha Man realizes there is more to life to casual sex. Alpha Man hunts Heroine down and tries to convince her this is True Love. Heroine tells him it was over before it started. Heroine realizes she made a mistake by blowing him off, contacts Alpha Man, and asks for another chance at a Real Relationship with him. Heroine realizes she's pregnant from their one-night stand, Alpha Man asks her to marry him, and they talk honestly about the fact that both marriage and parenting are huge lifetime commitments. They continue dating during the pregnancy and after the birth and realize they want to marry for the right reasons, not just the baby. Alpha Man and Heroine agree together that they will Be Together Forever.

Ahh, relationships where men and women are equal partners in every way. That's romance!