Alec looked at her. ''Of course I want you to stay here, with me Rose but what about your acting career?''
''I only did it for something to do Alec, you know who I am. I've already agreed to do that mini-series but after that, I meant it, I am taking some time off, I can spend it here with you, if you want?''
''I'd like nothing better Rose but by the time you've finished filming here, you may just change your mind. You start looking for something if you want but maybe you might think about us actually buying a place?''
''Well I'm not exactly short of money Alec, I can afford to buy something but I'm not sure you would agree to that but we could make a compromise?''
He got up and held his hand out, Rose reaching for it. ''Let's discuss this in bed shall we? What sort of compromise are we talking?''
''Well I pay for the house, outright of course and you pay all the bills?''
He put his arms around her shoulders and kissed her neck. ''You drive a hard bargain. So we stay here for now?''
Rose frowned at him. ''I still think we should take one of those apartments along the seafront.''
''I thought you liked it here. That was the reason you wanted to move here, wasn't it?''
''Well one of them, you being here was the deal breaker. I know we've only just met Alec but I know what I want and I do like it here. I want a house around on the cliffside though, that's my only demand and this thing you have about water, let me help you get over it?''
''I'll try Rose, I'm making no promises though but if anyone can, then it's you. Come here and show me why you want to stay in Broadchurch.''
Rose did as they tossed and turned under the bedclothes after allowing Alec to undress her first, which he thoroughly enjoyed and Alec decided he was going to tell her how he felt about her, that after first seeing her by accident on that TV programme he had always dreamt of meeting her but would she think it too much? She was trying to blend in and she didn't need him reminding her that most of the men in the country had been staring at her in her last film.
Since Rose didn't need to be in until late the following day and knowing where they were all meeting, she got up early, crawling over Alec and stopping to fool around, she made him breakfast while he got ready for work. She was due to meet her on-screen daughter again today for a small scene outside who was supposed to be her child minder's house. The girl hadn't been available to film events at the school for the sports day where it had been discovered the murdered boy had not turned up for school so that was being filmed another day. Rose was used to scenes being filmed out of order.
Alec wasn't going to have such a good day though as they had been filming up on the main road and commuters had been calling in complaining about a traffic jam and a film crew although it had been announced on the local radio. Rose wasn't due to go to the school for filming though since she had got a call to go to the beach as she dropped her daughter off at the child-minders which was why she hadn't known the boy was missing, well that was what she had been told the plot was although she couldn't talk about it to Alec.
She just wished she could go back at the end of filming and tell him but she had signed the agreement to keep it secret and Alec had been told the bare minimum to keep the town happy. By the end of the day, Alec had found out where she was and went to meet her, getting a glimpse of the blonde-haired young girl who was playing the part of Rose and supposedly his daughter. Rose greeted him when she was cleared for the day.
''So who was she then? She's obviously meant to be with you.''
''You know I can't say Alec, I really wish I could. Just think how much better it will be when they show it on TV, you'll be just as much taken by it as everyone else sitting down to watch it and even I'm not being told about scenes I'm not appearing in. Have you been busy today?'' she asked, getting into his car instead of the one assigned to take her back and waving to the driver.
''You could say that, the film crew were holding up the traffic earlier so I do know what at least one scene involves. Surely you can get permission to tell me? I am the police after all and I'm meant to be keeping order in the town but if they are going to hold traffic up again, I need some notice.''
''I'll try Alec but it's not up to me though maybe they might relent a little. Don't they tell you where we will be filming?''
''Not now I'm no longer giving Carver voice lessons. Where was he today anyway?''
Rose put her hand on his leg as they turned into the field behind the chalet. ''Don't ask me, ask Becca Fisher.''
Alec smiled. ''Seriously? Did I tell you she turned me down when I stayed there?''
Rose was interested. ''No but do tell.''
''I was ill at the time and she had to rush me to hospital a few nights before so it's hardly surprising. I was new in town, I didn't know anyone.''
''It's got nothing to do with me Alec and neither has Emmett taking up with her, we had a fling, you know about it, end of story.''
''Hey, it's ok Rose don't get mad at me, you brought up the subject. Maybe it affects you more than you're letting on?''
Rose got out of the car and stormed in front of him since she had the key, which was why he had gone to find her, following the signs the production company though no-one would know what they were for but forgetting he was a detective. Rose threw the key on the table and went into the bathroom and Alec left her for a few minutes, wondering what the hell had just happened.
Maybe the talk they'd had last night had taken place far too soon in their new relationship and he shouldn't have suggested her buying a house but she had said she wanted him to ask her to stay, which he had, willingly but maybe he should have quit before that bit and settled for renting a bigger place. They had only been together a few days and he was making all kinds of assumptions for her, that she would give up her glamorous life to live with him in a Dorset seaside town. What had he been thinking? Time to salvage what they had started and make some compromises.
''Rose, sweetheart, I'm going out for some food, do you want something? I'm just going over the bridge to one of the catering stalls. Shall I get you whatever I'm having?''
Rose was looking at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, quite unaware that before he had left a few months ago, Alec had experienced a few 'episodes' before he had braved his operation and he'd had a few close calls, one even by passing out on the decking outside while Miller had been going through old case files. She was contemplating Alec was right, it was bothering her that Emmett had taken up with the hotel owner but he was quite unaware that she had just broken up with the local vicar and she had provided a very adequate alibi for the father of the boy who had died last year.
She heard Alec's voice and splashed some cold water on her face. ''Yeah, ok, anything you're having. I could cook something if you went and got some more groceries you know?''
She opened the door and saw Alec looking at the door key, wondering if she had been making some sort of point of throwing it down.
''Fine, I won't be long. Look Rose, I didn't mean anything by that remark I made. You told me it was over and I believed you, the question is, do you accept it's over, that you're with me now?''
''Yes Alec, I'm with you now and I regret ever taking up with him but if I had known you were interested in me, if you'd asked me out the next night instead of just asking me to take a tour of the station with you, I never would have slept with him. I was just desperate for some company and you know what it's like, you just admitted you asked Becca and she had given a suspect an alibi. Think how that could have turned out?''
Rose half smiled as Alec realised what she was getting at. ''Yes, don't remind me, if I thought being accused of having an affair with Miller was bad enough, the defence would have been overjoyed to have that piece of information.''
He held out his arms and Rose crossed the short distance to him and he folded them around her, kissing her hair.
''I'm sorry Rose and I'm sorry for bringing up the subject of you buying a house here and tomorrow I'm going to visit the agents and see if they have somewhere else to rent and if you want to leave after you finish filming, I'll not stop you but I'll get some time off and take that holiday with you, anywhere you want to go because I love you Rose Tyler.''
Rose looked into his brown eyes. ''I love you too Alec, it's been a long time since someone other than another actor has been interested in me and I'm so used to leaving someone behind after a few weeks, I've forgotten what a normal life is. Help me get used to it again Alec.''
''I'll help as much as I can but it's up to you if you come back here or not. I have some leave due and I'll take it, I'll come up to London before you finish filming and we'll go away somewhere, even a cruise if that's what you really want. We'll talk when I get back unless you want to walk over with me, we can go to the pub next door and get something if you want?''
''Yeah, ok, I can be seen in pubs, with you. I love you Alec Hardy.''
They kissed and Alec held her tightly, kissing her neck. ''I don't deserve to be seen with you but maybe I can impersonate Emmett Carver, see how he likes it being done to him?''
Rose laughed. ''Just let me get changed or everyone will think I'm Ellie Miller then you are really in trouble.''
''She never went around in a short skirt and bare legs Rose, so there's no fear of that. I'm surprised she's not complained you're cheapening her.''
So Alec waited for her to get changed and they walked across to the pub, Rose daring him to talk in an American accent and let people think he was Emmett but he declined and said, ''Rose, if we are going to be in the newspapers, I want it to be as me, not as my look-a-like. Don't bother getting your stepfather to quash it next time either, I want everyone to know.''
Rose stopped at the end of the footbridge and turned around, giving him a quick kiss. ''So do I, now I have you.''
The next few days, Rose was busy and was told at the end of filming on Friday that she and Emmett were being taken to the other filming location on Monday morning and would be there for around three days. It didn't go down too well with Alec but he had to accept it was what she had to do. So on Sunday morning, they drove to the next seaside town up the coast and sat on the edge of the beach.
''It's only for three days Alec, you knew this was coming. How are you going to cope when I leave?''
''How do I know Rose? If I can't deal with you being away a few days, hell, I don't know what I'll be like, I'll be a wreck. Just come back as soon as you can and if you get finished before everyone else, I'll come and get you, if you're allowed to tell me where you're going?''
''I'll be allowed and I wish I could go in my own car but I've no idea where we're going. I get picked up in the pub car park tomorrow at ten. I'll call you when I get there, ok?''
''Ok love, I know you'll miss me just as much. We still have tonight and we can make it special.''
Alec kept his word, calling in at the mini-market and was about to make a special purchase when Rose stopped him and whispered, ''You won't need those any more Alec, I trust you.''
''Rose, you have no idea how I've waited to hear you say that but are you sure?''
''Yes Alec, I told you I take precautions and I really do trust you on that score. Now what else did you come in here for?''
He picked up a bottle of wine and some chocolates and drove back to the chalet and Rose had picked up some fragranced bubblebath so Alec told her to soak in the bath and change into one of her short nightdresses and the briefest of underwear and he would light some candles and open the bottle of wine and the chocolates.
Rose had called from the bathroom as she was about to get into the bathtub.
''No cheating Alec, no sneaking up on me while I'm in the bath.''
Alec smiled and got up, appearing in the doorway just as she was about to close it.
''Not even a little bit Rose?''
''Only if you want to get your clothes wet Alec Hardy. You'll just have to wait, it was your idea.''
''Ok, I'll leave but only if you let me take a photo of you under the bubbles?''
''I'm surprised at you, being a police officer. I bet you're one of those who used to download photos of me from my last film?''
Alec smiled. ''Only those of the pool and bedroom scene sweetheart and I didn't download them, I saved them from the DVD.''
Rose pretended to be mad and tried to chase him out of the bathroom, she was only wrapped in her bathrobe and Alec knew it. Then she stopped and started untying the belt and Alec fished in his pocket for his phone.
''Really?''
Rose smiled as she backed up towards the steaming bubble bath and let the robe slip from her shoulders. Alec fumbled with the camera button on his phone and caught her as it fell to the floor then she turned to one side to put one leg into the bath.
''You could give me a hand Alec?''
He stood for a few seconds, snapping her then held out his arm to help her then as she was just about to sink into the bubbles, he took another.
''Don't you dare get caught with those, I dread to think of them ending up in the trashy magazines and if you think my stepfather was bad enough you and me getting snapped outside the station, my mother will literally kill you if she sees them on the front page, there will be nowhere on this earth you'll be able to hide from her, you'll be on her hit list and believe me, you won't survive.''
''Relax sexy, there is no way I'd get caught with these on my phone, I'm going to download them to my laptop and keep the with all the others I have of you.''
Rose looked horrified to even think how many he could possibly have. Just how many snapshots had he taken from her last film?
