Alec Hardy goes to Gracepoint

Chapter 6

Meeting Alec's double

He was disappointed that Rose didn't pull his shorts down any further but wasn't really surprised, considering he was the one that had said to take things slowly in the first place. He could still feel her. She was lying on top of him, her hand still under him and she had nuzzled herself on his chest and moving her hips against his as his hands moved over her bum. She looked up and smiled at him as if to say that was all he was getting tonight, until he decided if he was up to the task.

They fell asleep, Rose half draped over him as he discovered when he awoke and trying to get her to move over so he could go to the bathroom but she was just as difficult to wake in bed as she was on the plane. He just managed to squeeze out but not before he felt his shorts move and he had pressed himself against her. Rose moved slightly at the sensation, she probably thought she was just imagining it but he saw a smile on her face. He pulled his shorts back up as he got out of bed, just in time to hear her murmur a soft 'mmm'.

For the next few days, they went down to breakfast together holding hands, much to Gemma's dismay and Rose accompanied Alec around the area, taking more photos and walking along the beach. Rose had been in contact with the Police department and found out the new detective's arrival had been put back a week, not that it was really any of her concern. No further progress was made in the bedroom, Alec still kept his shorts on but Rose was waiting to see if he said anything about it, she didn't want to presume anything, she would wait for him to make that move but it was pleasant enough for the two of them after Rose allowed him to touch her on their third night together after he had asked her.

They even spent the weekend together, Alec had rented a car and they drove down the coast. Monday morning, Rose had to report to the Police Station at nine so they had an early breakfast and she asked Alec what he was going to do. He said he might go and visit the public library and do some research about the area, see if he could get some inspiration about actually putting a book together now he had loads of photos but he said if he did actually write it, he couldn't do it until he got back since he had very few photos of Broadchurch. That would mean going back so maybe that idea was out but he wasn't going to tell anyone. Maybe he would go back to Broadchurch though, there was nowhere else to go really and it was more home than the place he had been in prior to his re-assignment there.

He kissed Rose goodbye in the hotel lobby and watched her walk down the street. He had offered to drive her but it was only a few blocks away and she had insisted on walking. She had agreed to let him pick her up and take her to lunch and she would find out if she was supposed to spend the whole day there. She didn't think she had to but it was only her first day, she would have to familiarise herself with department procedures. She had remembered there was a new detective joined the department today and wondered what he would be like and laughed as she thought back over her initial guess that it was going to be Alec.

What greeted her though when she walked in took her aback as she stood in the office doorway because seated in the office that had been empty last week when she had been in to meet the chief was Alec. Rose thought she was seeing things. Had he driven and got there before her? Why had he not said anything? Most importantly, what was he doing there, sitting behind a desk? They had shared a bed for the last week and things were definitely hotting up now she had let him touch her and maybe tonight she would finally let him take his shorts off but now, how could she consider having sex with him if he was going to be working there alongside her? Was that the reason she had been told that their newest detective was starting a week late, because he had been with her?

She hadn't realised she was staring and he was staring back and coming towards her through the open door. Only he wasn't coming directly at her, he didn't even seem to notice her as he walked past and to the break area. Rose was supposed to go to her desk before reporting to the chief but thought some coffee was due before she started work. Right then, if he was going to pretend he didn't know her at work fine, he wouldn't get any sex tonight until he told her what was going on and she had been seriously thinking about it. With her ID badge firmly clipped onto her jacket, she walked across to the break area when he had just finished pouring some coffee, which she thought was strange because she had only seen him drink tea. He saw her as he turned around so she stood looking at him.