Caiden’s groan makes me glance over at him to see he’s lost his green tint. He says, “Your voice hurts my head. What earth illness do I have?”

“It’s called a hangover,” A spoon rattles as I portion out loose leaf tea into my steeper. He’s on my couch where I managed to get him to lie down last night after he gave me a stumbling version of a dance he’d seen in a movie about male strippers. “You get it from drinking too much alcohol.”

He tugs the blanket over his head and groans. “This is your fault.”

The fridge light spills out as I tug the door open. “I tried to warn you, but you said you were enjoying a good brew.” Water gurgles as I pour Caiden a glass from a chilled pitcher, and the cabinet clicks as I open it in search of headache medicine. “And when I tried to keep you from drinking too many, you wouldn’t listen.”

“I don’t like Earth any longer. You can send me home now.”

“No can do. We’re stuck with each other, but I think I can help you if you promise to remember to back off ordering me around.”

“Fine. But could you stop talking so loud?”

The couch sinks under my bottom as I sit on the edge next to him. “I’ll have you feeling better in less than an hour.” He pulls the covers down to look at me, and I frown at his bloodshot eyes and pale skin. The green tint is almost gone, and I guess that can’t be good. “Take this.” I hand him the pills and glass of water. “I don’t think you should drink beer again. How’s your stomach?”

Caiden gulps down the medication. “It’s not happy.”

“You need some food. I’ll make breakfast.” I slide my hand along the side of his face with a light touch, and the stubble of his day-old beard is rough on my fingers. “Close your eyes for a few minutes while you wait for the headache to subside.”

“That feels good.” Caiden leans into my palm. “Stay and keep doing it.”

I offer him a smile. “You need some protein to feel better, and I need to cook it.” I get up before he can protest.

A metal saucepan clatters on the stove as I begin the process of making bacon and eggs. When the aroma of sizzling pork fills the air Caiden sits up. “What is that amazing smell?”

“Another delicious earth food. You may reconsider staying after you eat it.” I plate up his meal and walk over to him. I empathize with his pain, and even though he’s a cocky alien, I’m already used to him in my life. I realize I do want him to stay on Earth. “How’s your head?”

“It’s not as bad.” Caiden grabs a strip of bacon off the pile I made for him and shoves it into his mouth. As he chews his eyes widen. Once he swallows it he says, “I’ll stay.”

“I thought you’d like that. Now be a good alien and eat everything on your plate.” He scowls and I say, “Human girls are pushy when we know we’re right. Trust me. Like you should have last night.”

Caiden squints at me, but another mouthful of bacon seems to convince him to let it go. As he devours his meal I notice color return to his face, and when he’s done Caiden sighs. “I feel much better now. Is bacon a magic elixir?”

“It kind of is.” I perch myself on the edge of the couch next to him. “You really do need to let me tell you things about Earth and stop being such a control freak.”

“I am not a control freak. But you sure are.”

I grin at him. “Well that sure explains your hangover.”

He opens his mouth to speak, but I think he realizes I’m right when he shuts it again, and I decide to change the subject. “I don’t have to work today, so we should do something fun together.”

“We’ll go on a date.”

His voice is firm like an order, and I frown at him before I decide his ego is bruised enough. “Yes.”

“It will be a picnic with fried chicken, cookies and lemonade.” Caiden catches himself and adds with a sexy grin. “Please?” He nudges me with his shoulder.

I chuckle as I wonder what television show he got that idea from. “Sure. I can probably find all of those things for us at the deli.” I also wonder what else he thinks a picnic is. “Would you like to take a walk in the park by the river?”

Now his eyes twinkle with mischief as he leans in close and says, “If there are trees to kiss under.”

I place a hand on his firm chest and notice how warm his skin is against mine. Caiden brushes his lips over mine and pulls back leaving me wanting more. I whisper, “There are trees.”

“Good.” Caiden kisses me again, and this time gives me what I crave as I taste the salty residue of bacon, and the flavor of my sexy alien. He may be used to telling women what to do, but the way his tongue gives and takes with mine makes me think he can learn to do the same with a relationship. When we break apart Caiden lets out a big sigh. “We will--can we can get married soon?”

My desire is ramped up so far I can’t think of much beyond devouring him, and I resist the urge to say ‘tonight,’ especially since he managed to ask instead of command. “I’m not sure, I’ll ask Lexi.” I stand up. “You should shower, and then we can go get the supplies.” I think about how on Sundays there are samples of food set out for customers and smile as I imagine all the new flavors Caiden can try. “I think you’ll enjoy the deli.”

An hour later, we’ve made our trip to the deli and filled a backpack with an assortment of food for a picnic. I’m curious how much Caiden will actually eat considering the amount of samples he had. As our feet tap lightly on the pavement Caiden reaches for my hand and I ask, “Why did you want to come to Earth?”

“I wanted more.” He gazes up at the sky, which is deep blue with white puffy clouds floating lazily. “On Eroscia our sky is orange all the time, and it’s too hot to be outside for long.” He glances at me, “We couldn’t go for a walk or a picnic.”

“But surely you must find other ways to enjoy yourself.”

“Yes. We do everything underground, but I like breathing your fresh air and looking out real windows.”

I think about what it would be like to never enjoy the outdoors and imagine Eroscia’s climate might be the reason food is so boring too. “Do you grow all your produce underground too?”

“Yes, we have farms, but we have little variety in what we eat.”

“No wonder you love everything you taste here.”

We’ve reached the park and Caiden stops, so I turn to him. He threads the fingers of his free hand in mine. “Even the girls taste better.”

“Do they?”

He nods and leans down to kiss me. He breaks away with a grin. “So much better.”

I notice a section of grass under the trees that looks like a nice place for lunch, and I point to it. “We’ll eat over there.”

Caiden clears his throat making me turn to look. “Oh,” I realize I just gave him an order and ask, “Please?”

He grins. “We’re getting good at this.”

I think about that for a moment, and the blanket snaps before Caiden sets it out. While the two of us are able to cooperate with little things I do wonder how this is going to work with bigger decisions. But when Caiden sits on the blanket and pats it for me to join him, the warmth that rushes through me makes me willing to try.