Jake had a lengthy conversation with the owner of the wine shop we stopped at on the way home, and we ended up with three bottles of wine, even though we’d agreed he shouldn’t have more than one glass. A sweet Muscadet splashes into my goblet, and I pour a small amount for Jake. An oyster shell clatters in the sink as he easily pries the shellfish open with his alien strength. He sets it on the platter of crushed ice and looks to me for my approval. I never would have gone to so much trouble for an appetizer that will take us only a couple minutes to eat, but I have to admit I like it. I say, "They look wonderful."

Playfulness dances on his face. "Show me how you like to eat oysters."

I move over to the bar chairs on the other side of the counter with him and take a seat. I glance down at the lemon wedges and cocktail sauce the woman at the market suggested, but I like mine plain so I say, "I think you should try one on its own before you add anything." I lift a shell and pour an oyster into my mouth. I chew a couple times and let the salty flavor sit on my tongue before I finally swallow it down. Jake mimics me, and I chuckle as he makes a face before he gulps it down. "What do you think?" I ask.

"Food here is intense." He lifts up his glass of wine and takes a sip. "Ummm," he smacks his lips. "That's good afterward."

I drink some wine too and notice the sweetness, which does complement the salty seafood flavor of the oyster. I never gave it much thought, and now I'm as curious as Jake to try the other combinations. I take a lemon and squeeze it onto an oyster as I say to him, "I feel like I'm trying them for the first time too. I don't think I've ever focused on flavors this much."

Jake's hand lands on mine as I lift my shell and he takes it from me. My heart skips a beat when he lifts it to my lips and feeds me the oyster. His gaze sucks me in, and as I drink in the slippery mollusk, I lose myself in the warmth of his brown eyes that appear to swirl with their color. As I swallow, Jake places his fingers on my throat and drags them down it lightly, sending a shiver of desire through me.

I lick my lips slowly as I reach for a lemon wedge to prepare an oyster for him. When I lift the shell up to feed him Jake doesn't break our gaze, and he chews slowly on the shellfish. My breath catches when he swallows, and he grabs my face to pull me in for a kiss. When he backs away he says, "That's a much better way to follow it than wine."

As my head swims with our passion I nod in agreement, and my hand is shaky as I reach for the cocktail sauce. After we feed each other another oyster, Jake follows it with a kiss like before. I've had boyfriends before, but something about being with Jake is different. His kiss does more than spark desire. I want to lose myself in him. It isn't long before I find myself straddling his lap, tugging at his shirt to strip it off. Jake grips my arms lightly as he breaks our kiss. He's panting when he says, "We have to stop before I go too far."

My insides are quivering. I don't want to obey the rules set in place for us, but I manage to nod. His shoulder is firm under my hand as I brace myself and climb off his lap. "Right." Women aren’t allowed to sleep with their alien match until after marriage. I thought it was a stupid law until now, because I can see how easily one could get wrapped up in the physical and ignore everything else that's important in a lifelong relationship.

I step around the counter to put it between us and reach for my wine. "Hannah." Jake takes my hand as he gazes into my eyes, and he places it over his heart. "I'm already falling for you. Please tell me you feel the same way."

My pulse definitely quickens with my physical desire for him, and as I stare at the man before me I want to say the same. But I'm not so fast to give up my heart to a man who doesn't know who I really am yet. "I'm definitely attracted to you, Jake."

"Then we're off to a good start."

I smile at him, but my stomach is a tangled knot of dread. I fail at so many things, and I'm afraid this relationship will be one more thing on the list. I'm not ready to let him know that though, so I say, "We are."

Jake and I finish off our appetizer, and he tells me to sit while he prepares dinner. A cutting board thuds on the counter as he says, "Your profile mentioned you want a family someday. Would you like to stay in the city to raise them?"

"No." I get up and move over to the fridge to pour myself another glass of wine. "I grew up in a small town where everyone knew who I was. I love being in the city, but it's rather impersonal. I think I'd like to move when it's time for a family."

"Good." A knife taps as he slices the tuna. "I'd like our kids to be able to have a swing set in the backyard."

I chuckle as I imagine what show he watched for that idea. "Okay. Swing set it is."

"I’d also like you to continue to work from home so you can be there for our children when they get home from school."

"What are you planning to do?" I hate that I didn't read his profile now, because I know next to nothing about my alien mate.

I think Jake realizes that because he tilts his head at me. "I'm an accountant. I expect I'll work nine to five except during tax season."

"Right. Makes sense."

A sauté pan clatters on the stove where Jake places it, and he asks, "Did you read my profile?"

"Ah. Well..." I give him a sheepish grin.

His expression gets hard. "What? I was at the bottom of your list and you were getting desperate?"

"No. My gosh, no. Not at all." I sigh, because I think Jake probably did read each and every profile of the women who requested him, and I know I should be flattered he chose me.

"Then why did you pick me if you didn't know anything about who I am?"

I don't think he's going to let me off the hook, and even though I'm tempted to lie, I'd be caught in it as some point. So I decide to tell him the truth. "I closed my eyes, scrolled down the list of possibilities randomly, and put my finger on the screen. It landed on you."

He blinks a few times before he says, "You drew me out of a hat." A scowl covers his face, and oil sizzles in the hot pan as he pours it.

"Jake. Please don't be upset. I had over three hundred guys to choose from. Since most of you don't even write your profiles, I didn't see the sense in reading through them with the hope I was getting the truth."

"I wrote my profile, Hannah." His eyes flash as he looks at me. "I didn't lie." He slaps tuna into the pan, and it hisses as if it's angry at me too. "Did you lie on yours?"

I shake my head as he stares at me, and I notice the way his brow furrows is sexy, even when he's not happy. "No. Although my friends did help me focus on my better qualities."

"Yes." Jake darts his gaze around the kitchen before he pours the boiled potatoes into a colander--one I don't recall owning, so I suspect he had to dig to find it. "You did leave out your lack of organizational skills."

"I did." He's not exactly perfect either. I recall what little of his profile I did read which said he was easygoing. "I think you left out your strong need for order."

"Doesn't me being a CPA tell you that?"

I suppose he's got a point. One would definitely assume that about an accountant. "Fine. I'll let you rearrange the kitchen to your liking. But you're not as easygoing as you think."

"I—" He stops himself. "You got me. I want to be someone who can ignore details, but I'm not." He frowns at me. "You really picked me at random?"

I imagine what it must feel like to discover you were a random selection, and that your human mate didn't bother to research who you are. Given Jake seems to prepare for everything as if he's being graded, I doubt he can fathom what I did. He's mashing the potatoes with enough force he might break through the pan. I need to give him something before he decides I'm not worth it. "Jake." He glances at me as I say, "I'm really sorry. I did read that you wanted to cook for me and cuddle on the couch." He tilts his head at me, and I push on. "But it was your eyes that got me. Something about their warmth made me hit initiate."

Jake's expression softens a bit. He nods toward his wine glass. "Pour me some Pinot Noir. Dinner is almost ready."

We're silent as I get his drink and we put food on the table. He's not slamming the dishes down, so I think his anger is subsiding and I attempt once more to make peace. "You look like a natural in the kitchen. I can't believe you've only done this with a simulator." It occurs to me he didn't taste anything as he cooked, and I wonder if that's because of his nature or if it's because he's never used real food before. I'd ask, but he's still not talking.

When we sit I hold out my hand and say, "Jake. Please don't be mad. You're here and until this point, we were getting along well. I don't want this to come between us. I'm committed to making us work."

He wraps his fingers around mine and gives me a squeeze. "I'm not mad at you, Hannah. I'm upset with myself for not remembering the fact that we're opposites is exactly why I said yes to you."

"Really?" I'm pretty sure if I'd known Jake was a CPA I wouldn't have picked him.

"I thought our differences would complement each other. I need to accept that you live intuitively while I analyze situations before making a decision. It's going to take some adjusting. That's all." He lifts up the chopsticks I put out and expertly holds them to grab a piece of tuna. After he tries it he smiles at me. "I'm a really good cook. You should try some."

I smile with relief that he's no longer angry, and I wonder if being opposites can work. I remember how I joked with my friends about needing someone to take care of me, and I may have found him. I dip a piece of fish in my soy sauce with wasabi and say, "I could use a little more order in my life, Jake. I'm glad you're here."

"And I could use more spontaneity." Jake smiles back as he lifts his wine glass to me in a toast. "I think we had our first fight." Our glasses clink. "To making up." I nod as he leans toward me to brush his lips against mine. He pulls back and winks. "Next time we'll do more than kiss."

"Before we clean the kitchen?" I cover my mouth with my hand in mock horror.

Jake glances over at the dishes in the sink and shrugs. "I can compromise."

I chuckle before I say, "I can too."