Viva Las Broadchurch

Chapter 23

Rose didn't know what to say. She felt exactly the same way but would he think she was just saying that? He was looking at her, his brown eyes saying he was telling the truth.

"Alec, I don't know what to say. You might change your mind when you move in with me?"

Then he did go to put his arms around her.

"Never. If anything, it will only make things better. I did not plan on this, when I moved here, to Broadchurch. I wanted somewhere quiet after my last case and to get away from the messy divorce. I'm not the easiest person to get along with."

"Neither am I, trust me. I didn't mean to spoil your rescue, I shouldn't have said anything. I did spoil things, didn't I?"

"No, I did not mean it to sound like I was disappointed. I would have been more upset had you been hurt. Just promise you will not try that with Harkness or his partner."

"Ok, not when there are two of them but if Ianto comes after me, I can't promise I won't give him something to think about."

"Well you gave Carter something to think about, no-one has seen him but he may be hiding from Harkness. Speaking of which, Miss Jones seems to have gone quiet, I think I gave her enough of a warning."

"She does it every time Alec, she thinks she's better than me, just because she's a nurse and I'm the arcade owner's daughter."

"I am sure she does not think that."

"Yeah, she does. If someone new is in town, she makes a point of making a play for them, then she wonders why they back off. I mean, men don't like being chased, do they?"

"Personally, then no. Some men may like it but not me. She seems now to have got the message."

"I hope so, at least she's not been in the shop making a scene but there's still time yet. I think I was flirting with you in the arcade."

"Well I did not notice."

"Aw, are you just saying that?" she asked, leaning into him.

He kissed her forehead and looked down at her.

"I was the one who went to sit with you outside the arcade, I came after you."

"So you did. I'm glad we settled that then."

Even though it was still light outside, after they had kissed, Alec pulled the curtains over as they laid on the sofa. When they finally got up to go to the bedroom, Rose had only just managed to keep her underwear but had her bra unfastened as was Alec's shirt. As they lay in bed, Alec hovering above her and kissing her cleavage as she had her hands on his shoulders, she realised she should tell him before it was too late.

"Alec you said you were falling for me but I think I'm more than falling for you."

"Is that so eh? I was only saying that, in case it was too early to say what I wanted to say."

"Then what did you want to say? That you love me?"

"Is it too soon to say I love you?" he asked, going to kiss her neck.

"Definitely not, if I was to say I love you too Alec."

She pulled him down and went for the waistband of his shorts.

"Show me exactly how much Alec."

"The pleasure would be all mine."

They woke to Alec's alarm going off, well he was trying to silence it without waking her, with no success as she smiled and moved for him to reach his phone.