Eventually, Rose said she was hungry and Alec reluctantly let her up, squinting to try to fasten her bra, which he'd slung over the back of the sofa since it was getting in his way of kissing her cleavage. Rose had got his trousers halfway down his legs and was teasing him by going for the gap in his boxers but not putting her hand in.

"Why do you tease me Rose?" he asked, staring at her chest as she reached for her white blouse she wore for work.

"Who said I was teasing you? You were the one teasing me, running your finger on me like that without actually doing anything."

"Well maybe if you had reached your hand into my shorts, you might have got a rather pleasant surprise?"

"Show-off," Rose giggled as she glanced down at the rather obvious bulge.

"That's because I thought you were the one going to do something? I should go put the food on, since I am meant to be cooking dinner for you? Maybe we should wait until we go to bed eh?" he asked, trying to pull up his trousers and calm himself down.

They finally got into the kitchen though Alec couldn't resist putting his hand on her rear as they walked.

"Got any shorter skirts?" he asked as he lit the stove.

"Yeah but I don't wear them for work, you may have some competition if I did," she smiled, poking her tongue out of the side of her mouth. "I'll go get changed shall I?"

"That would be nice. Rose, are you sure you want me to stay here for now?"

"Yeah, I wouldn't have asked ya otherwise, would I? I mean it Alec, you need someone to take care of you. Do you need your pills?"

"After I have eaten, am I going to need them?" he smiled, stepping forward.

When they had eaten, he suggested they went out for a walk, just across onto the pier that was lit up with white string lights.

"So, have you settled down here then Rose?" he asked her as they sat down and he put his arm around her.

"Yeah, it's a lot less stressful than being in London, despite the recent events. What about you, were you gonna leave?"

"I thought about it but where would I go? They would not welcome me back in Sandbrook, the young girl's father had a lot of influence around the town, he was making life difficult. Rose, there is something you should know about the main suspect's wife."

"What about her? Did you have an affair with her?"

"Hell no Rose, I promised her protection if she turned on him but it all went wrong, now they are both hiding. As far as I know he went to France somewhere and I have someone who will tell me if he comes back and when he does, he may come looking for me."

"Why, because you arrested him?"

"He thinks I encouraged his wife to turn on him and yes, I did but if a certain officer had not screwed things up, they would both be behind bars."

"She had something to do with it?" Rose asked him, putting her hand on his leg.

"I suspected her since she could not come up with the same story twice when asked but I had nothing on her. Her husband will think I tried to get her to tell by sleeping with her."

"You were ill though, she may not have been as understanding as I am," Rose smiled, fingering his beard. "Forget it, if nothing happened, I don't need to know any more."

"Good because I really want something with you Rose, you are the first woman to understand and not demand I have sex with you even if it kills me."

"I want to have sex with you Alec but I'd never want it to harm you. We can find other less strenuous ways of getting close."

"Then I look forward to discovering them with you. Shall we go back and make a start, I think something is stirring in my shorts."

Rose giggled as they walked the short distance back to what was to be their apartment for the next week or so. As they got to bed, Alec insisted she didn't have any underwear on to save him time, making Rose tingle with anticipation.

"Mmm Alec, are you gonna tease me again?"

"I will, when you go for my shorts."

"Want to play games Alec?"

"Oh yes Rose, I want to play games with you, why don't you start eh?"

Rose moved her hand down to the waistband of his shorts. "I have a better idea, why not just take these off?"

Alec moved onto his side to let her take them down and as she did, he grabbed her hand, Rose squealing.

"You were right, something was stirring in your shorts Alec Hardy. Maybe next time you go shopping, you can get some tighter underwear?"

"Meaning?" he asked as she touched him. "Oh, you want me to show off to you? Why did you not say so?"

"I thought I had?"

"Then stop talking Miss Tyler and make me forget there is something wrong with me?"

He moved around to kneel over her, placing his hand on her, then moving it as she guided him.

"Alec, don't even attempt to think about going on top, you'll get too far gone."

"You think I do not know that? I was just making a start love, let me then you come and lie on me?"

"Yeah, seems sensible to me lover."

He leaned down to kiss her, pressing himself against her that she could feel he was about to give in. She pushed on his shoulders gently to remind him to move onto his back then as he took the hint, she put her arms around his neck. He grabbed her rear as he moved, landing on the mattress and Rose landing with him, she was feeling the excitement building.

As they touched, Rose thought it was the best feeling she'd had in a long time as she felt but she really hoped he wouldn't try too much at once but she needn't have worried as he gently explored how far he dared to go.

Still reeling from the sensations, she moved away slightly onto her side.

"Something wrong?" he asked, moving to face her.

She reached out and touched his beard. "No, it was perfect, I was just worried about you."

"Rose, if you are going to go easy on me like that every time we have sex, I think I will last a bit longer. Just how did you do that?"

"Do what?" she asked, touching his belly which Rose thought he was well toned to say he was ill and wouldn't get a lot of exercise, well maybe he'd get some now.

"Know what to do to stop me over-exerting myself which although was tempting, you knew it would be too much. Rose, if I had any doubts about us, they have now all gone."

"Good, guess you're stuck with me?"

He pushed her onto her back and began kissing her tummy then moved the vest top she was wearing

"So when did you say I could move in?" he asked kissing her cleavage.

The next morning after just kissing, Rose had to set off to work and Alec said he would go pack his things and move out of the hotel. They kissed goodbye in the lift, since he wanted to move out of his room before ten.

"Do you want to meet for lunch?" he asked as they exited the building and a cab was waiting for him, at Rose's insistence.

"Yeah, meet me across from the station then, if ya wanna be seen with me?"

Alec stopped her as he was about to open the door, seeing people walking past and turned to kiss her.

"Yes, I want to be seen with you, we are not going to hide this."

She watched him get into the cab and saw the driver grinning, Alec waving to her and Rose thinking it must have been the same driver from the other night.

By the time it came for Alec to get the keys for the blue chalet a week later, Rose had decided to move with him. He had asked her two days earlier when they'd laid on the sofa when she had got home from work.

"I never really liked this apartment, it's like something out of my nan's house. I'd much rather move in with you babe," she told him, grabbing his rear.

"You wanted to rent the place before I came here, sure you are not playing me?" he asked, going under her skirt again.

"I think it will be good for us, being able to sit outside in the evenings."

"You mean having people watching while I go under your skirt?" he smiled.

"No, that's for you only lover. I've given notice today, there's only a week to go anyway, I'll just move out early."

"Well I will do the packing for you while you are at work," Alec insisted.

"Don't you go overdoing it Alec, I want you in a fit state to celebrate when we move. I'll just leave the rest of my things here until Saturday. Don't go enjoying going through my underwear drawer too much though," she teased.

"Speaking of which, you put a pair of yours in with mine. I know you like me to take them off you, you don't have to give me a hint," he grinned.

"Yeah, I know you enjoy that activity, thought you'd get a kick out of finding a pair in with yours, I know you like to finger them while I'm out."

"Only when you're in them love," he smiled, going for a kiss.

"You can imagine I'm in them babe," Rose smiled back at him.

The day they were moving, Rose decided to work the morning and take a few hours off in the afternoon, telling Alec to get a cab to the rental agency. When he got there, the woman handed the keys to him.

"There you are inspector, it's all ready for you to move in to. The personnel officer got that sorted quickly."

"Yes, she's my girlfriend, she had an incentive. Did she tell you were are both moving in?"

The woman smiled. "She did mention someone else was moving in with you."

"She's still a bit shy."

"Well I hope it's suitable for the two of you then. Just remember if you move, there's a two week notice period."

"I think we will be staying there, she wanted to rent it when she arrived in town."

"Oh, you mean Miss Tyler? She's your girlfriend?"

Alec grinned back at her. "Yes, lucky me eh?"

"What's she doing working at the police station?"

"To prove she can hold down a job I expect and lose her reputation of being out on the town every night."

"Well if she's settling down here, she'll soon lose that, Broadchurch is hardly the entertainment capital of Dorset."

"We don't go out a lot and she came here to get away from all that."

"Seeking the quiet life?" the woman asked.

Alec thought Rose may well have been but instead, she'd chosen to come to Broadchurch and give him a hand behind the scenes in solving a murder. Had he known that before they'd got together, things could have gone differently, he would have had someone to go home to and someone to take all his sexual tension away. Rose would have been there for him despite him not daring to show her how far he could go in bed just yet but he may start to try.

As they moved into the chalet over the weekend, Rose having taken care of all her belongings by stashing them in what passed as the spare bedroom, they'd gone out shopping to get a canvas wardrobe and a few other things they needed. Alec had been back to see the chief and he was to start at the training academy on the Monday morning. So as it came around, he was sat on the doorstep waiting for Rose making breakfast and had booked a cab to pick him up from in front of the pub the three mornings he was due to give lectures.

"Don't go boring those new recruits grumpy," Rose called from the kitchen.

"You have no confidence in me, I can deal with a few new recruits sweetcheeks."

The sweetcheeks he was referring to were not her face as she went up behind him and put her arms around his neck and he reached to her rear as she tried to sit beside him.

"Ah, watch out, we have an audience now and I have to go rescue your toast. No post this morning?"

"Not yet but who is going to send any post?" he asked as she tried to get away on hearing the toaster.

"I forwarded your mail and mine last week when we moved in and besides, you said the hospital would be sending for you."

"They may do but who said I was going to go?" he asked, squinting at the time on his phone.

"Alec, you said you'd at least go see what they had to say, I'll get the day off. I'm gonna go see the chief this morning, tell her I'm looking after you now, we said we wouldn't hide."

"Aye, we did love," he told her, trying to get up to follow her. "The woman in the letting agency last week said you did not let on you were moving in with me."

"That was before I decided I was. Anyway, she was lucky I didn't cancel it and you moved into my apartment. Did you put her right?" Rose asked as she buttered the toast, with his hand on her rear.

"Aye love, I told her you were shacking up with me because you could not stop groping my ass," he smiled.

"She'll spread that rumour all over town now," Rose grinned as he sat at the table.

"Good, the town needs some juicy gossip after what happened. If we have to reveal our sex life to the paper to do so, how do you feel about it?"

"I'm okay but try convincing my mother. By the way, she'll want to meet you."

"Maybe we could go up there one weekend?" he offered. "Unless she wants to come down here?"

"Tony's back at school now, we'll go one Friday afternoon, I'll take some time off."

"Why do you work Rose? Stay off, with me?" he asked, reaching for his mug of tea.

Rose sat opposite him. "So we can stay in bed in the mornings and do some ass groping?" she smiled, looking out of the window.

"Well that would be pleasant. I mean it Rose, think about it. You said you get a generous allowance from your stepfather."

"I just wanted to work to earn my keep, I can quit. I know Denise was upset when I took her job. Maybe I'll give my notice in and do a bit of work for Torchwood?"

"Aye, why not ask about it eh? Then when I get home, we can have more time together. Once I get that hospital appointment, I may have to wait a while though."

"I told ya Alec, let Torchwood help."

"I am not having them use alien machinery on me Rose, forget it."

"I never said you should, grumpy ass. Geez Alec, they do more than piece alien technology together, they do other research and besides, Pete could get you a top heart surgeon any time you wanted."

"I am not taking advantage by jumping the queue Rose, I will wait my turn, which I would have done had I not met you."

"You take advantage of me in bed," Rose smiled.

"That is entirely different, I am not having sex with you so you will get me to see a specialist earlier. I will be fine now the case is over and I will do something if I get any worse, I already told you that."

"I know, you can't blame me for trying to get you to bring it forward though. I just want you to be well again."

"I know love, maybe you want me to hurry up so I can go on top eh?"

"That would be nice but I'm happy with what we do. I told you there were plenty of easy ways,"

"Yes, you did and we've tried most of them this past week or so."

"Well maybe we can invent a few more?" Rose smiled.

"Give your notice in at the station and we will discuss it," he replied.

Rose still hadn't worked out when he was being serious or not. They kissed goodbye and he walked her to the gate to cross over the footbridge.

"Bye love, have a good day," he told her, not caring they were in full view of the harbour.

"You too, don't overdo things. I love you grumpy."

"Aye, I love you too sweetcheeks. Maybe when you get back I can see how sweet they are eh?"

"Mmm, you bet, it's much more fun in that smaller bed."

"That it is. Don't be late eh?"

Rose went off to work and decided to see if the chief was available. Just let those two in the office talk about her staying in bed with Alec, she'd got past the caring stage after a few days of her and Alec being together.

"Yes Rose, what can I do for you?" the chief asked her.

"Sorry to bother you Ma'am but I thought you should know, now it's sort of official. DI Hardy and I are in a relationship, we moved in together."

"I see. Well since he no longer works here, I see no problem with that and even if he came back, you're a civilian. Thank you for letting me know. How is he now anyway?"

"He's fine, I'm getting him to take things easy and now he's got someone to look after him, he's not in as much a hurry to get himself fixed and trust me, I've tried to get him to jump the queue and go private."

"He's stubborn Rose, that I do know and if anyone can get him to give in, then it's you. Well good luck with that, you may get him to give in."

"Yeah, I have my ways but I'm not sure they'll work. He has an incentive now to get well and we're hoping he'll get a letter from the hospital soon. While I'm here, well Denise in the office, she was in line for the job I got, right?"

"Yes but your stepfather asked me to give it to you though I still don't understand why you wanted to come here?"

"I had my reasons. I wanted to help in some small way with the case that was going on."

"Well I'm glad Torchwood didn't just march into town. Why do you ask anyway?"

"If I were to hand in my notice, would she get it?"

"I believe so, she was qualified. Are you giving notice?"

"If Alec gets a letter from the hospital, I might do, we talked about it this morning. It might encourage him to go along for an assessment."

"From what I heard the last time he was in hospital, they gave him an assessment that said the next time, he may not recover."

"He told me but I already knew after it happened. I know I can trust you Ma'am, there was a reason I chose this place, I felt sorry for what happened to Alec over Sandbrook and when I saw him on TV, well I knew I had to help him."

"Does he know that?"

"No, only that I wanted to help with the Latimer case."

"I see. Well he won't hear anything from me Rose but you should tell him."

"I will, I just didn't want to make it so obvious that I've been following his rather disastrous career."

"Yes, I can understand that."

Rose thought it was just as well since no-one could know the real reason, she had no intentions of telling Alec who he looked like and neither would her family or friends. When she'd admitted she was involved with Alec to Pete, he'd asked if she was going to tell Alec.

"No Pete," she'd told him. "Neither you, mum, Mickey or Jake can ever tell him, he's been through enough. If I tell him how I got here, he might think I'd go back the same way and leave him, he needs me."

"Well he won't hear it from us," Pete had assured her. "If you change your mind Rose, I can tell him for you."

"I don't think I will, it would break his heart even more if I told him he looks like someone I cared about. I can't bear to think how it will affect him, what with his divorce and his daughter not talking to him, I can't put him through any more."

"I know love but if he ever did find out, well don't go blaming me for it. When are we going to meet him?"

"Soon, we'll get moved first and can you ask in medical if they've got anything that'll fix him that doesn't involve alien tech?"

Pete let out a laugh. "I'll ask Owen but I doubt it. He may know of someone but if Alec's on medication, the only answer is a pacemaker and he already knows that."

"Yeah, he said he's not ready to face it yet, I think that last attack he had really scared him. I wish I'd got to know him sooner."

"You did the best thing Rose, you let him solve the case on his own so he could redeem himself."

"Well he knows I helped in the background, he says he can live with that. Maybe if I'd said something when I first saw him, we might have got together sooner."

"You mean if you'd not almost knocked him over?" Pete reminded her.

"Yeah, some way of meeting him huh?"

Rose left the chief's office and went to the personnel department where she was being talked about, as she'd suspected.

"What's wrong with Rose this morning?" Darren had asked Denise.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Probably tangling with Hardy in bed," she huffed. "What does she see in him?"

"Each to their own Denise, she must see something in him, she comes in with a grin on her face every morning since they shacked up together, he must be keeping her satisfied."

"Him, with his bad heart?"

"Maybe she does all the hard work, how would I know?" Darren replied.

Rose was just walking towards the office when her phone rang and trust it to be her mother.

"Rose, how's the new place?"

"It's fine Mum, we like it, it's very peaceful and relaxing for Alec."

"When he almost drowned in another river?" her mother asked her.

"He's trying to get over that Mum, I told you. He's nothing to worry about, he's got me."

"Well when are you coming for a visit?"

"Soon as we can. He wants me to give up work."

"What for? To look after him?"

"Partly and he's right, I only took the job to get close to him and now I have, well I was gonna ask Pete if I could work remotely for Torchwood."

"You'll have to ask him then. Tony still misses you."

"I know Mum. I have to get back to work."

She walked into the office to see them staring at her.

"What? Got nothing to do again?" Rose asked them.

"Geez Rose, chill," Darren told her. "Did Hardy kick you out of bed?"

"He was starting his new job today, not that it's anything to do with you two. In case you're interested, I'm thinking of giving up work to look after him. That means you'll get my job Denise, pleased?"

"I don't blame you for taking my job Rose," Denise tried to tell her.

"No, not much. Anyway, you'll be the first to know if I do."

Denise was indeed the first one to know a week later. Rose discovered she had three days leave due so she took it and left the following Tuesday so on the Wednesday morning, she decided to drive Alec to Exeter and look around the shops while waiting for him.

"I don't expect you to take me every morning," he told her as they walked to the car, the cab being cancelled for the day,

"I know but it'll be nice kissing you goodbye in front of your students," Rose smiled.

"They will all be jealous of me when they see you," he smiled back.

"Yeah, maybe you can give the lecture about sexual harassment at work?"

"I did not harass you at work, did I?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No but it would give you chance to give them some examples."

"Very amusing sweetcheeks. That reminds me, now you have given up working, we will have more time in bed every morning eh?"