For the next few days, Rose saw Alec at breakfast and by Thursday night, they were laughing and joking in the bar, much to Becca's dismay as she had hoped to have the detective to herself. That was the night Alec decided he was going to try his luck and ask Rose to his room for maybe a bit of relaxation. It was that or ask the hotel owner, which he wasn't keen on since she had provided an alibi for the murdered boy's father and had just admitted she was having an affair with him. That wasn't going to deter Becca though, the famous Miss Tyler was only booked in until Saturday night, then she would make herself available.

Rose was on her second drink and Alec had hardly touched his, he was absent-mindedly putting his fingers inbetween Rose's then moving them, then playing with her thumb and finally was giving himself the jitters. He told himself to just come out and ask her if she would join him for some more small-talk in his room.

"So Alec, what are you so nervous about?" Rose finally asked him when he had hardly touched his drink.

"What makes you think I'm nervous Rose? Just had a bit of a rough day at work, you know how it is. There was some trouble, down at the harbour and I think it's going to lead to something worse. Maybe you could help me with it?"

"With your case?"

Alec smiled and ran his finger over her cheek.

"No, just help me relax, to wind down a bit, maybe?"

"Why didn't you say so? Finish your drink then we'll go to my room."

Alec could hardly believe his luck. They walked up to Rose's room and she kicked off her shoes then suddenly, she grabbed him by his jacket lapels and looked at him, then tugged at it.

"Are you going to stand there all night?"

He took the hint, letting her help him out of it then since his tie was already off, she began to unfasten his shirt buttons until she got down to his navel, then she pulled on the last bit of his shirt, tugging it out.

"So talk then or do you want me to start?" Alec said, leaning around her neck to find the top of her dress zip.

"Well, you can tell me one thing that's been puzzling me."

"What's that then?" he asked, finding how easily it parted company.

Rose put her finger on his stomach, then unfastened the rest of the buttons.

"Why has it taken you all week to ask me upstairs?"

"Oh, is that all? Well, it could have something to do with you being Miss Vitex and I'm just a lowly discredited police detective or the fact a certain reporter has been following you around town since your arrival, practically drooling over you and waiting for the chance to rescue you again or ask you for a date."

Rose looked up as she was taking his shirt off his shoulders, having unfastened the cuffs without him noticing. He thought she was good at this.

"Really? I can't say I noticed and besides the fact you're a great detective, how would you know, since you told me you wouldn't be following me around all week?"

"Because he's my DS's nephew and all he's done since you got here is go on about you to her. I did try to warn you."

He had, she admitted to herself, on her arrival and now it seemed she'd had the reporter's attention all along and had wanted the detective's. Was he slow on the uptake or what? Olly Steven's was not her type but Alec Hardy was, all mean and moody.

Rose let her dress fall to the floor, revealing her matching black bra and knickers, her comfortable stretchy ones and Alec whistled. She smiled and tugged his shirt the rest of the way off, throwing it over his jacket. Alec knew he was already doomed.

"So Alec, do you have something in your jacket pocket? Only I don't take anything at the moment, had to come off it because it upset my system."

Alec was about to reply that what was in his jacket pocket would only do him some good, well maybe so that was out.

"Sorry Rose, I don't make a habit of going to a woman's room and no, I don't think it should be the woman who takes all the responsibility, your answer was unexpected, as was my asking you. Maybe we can just start this slowly and I'll correct my oversight another time."

Rose could have taken that two ways, one was did he really think he would get another chance and two, did she want him to? Her response was as much a surprise to her as it was to him as she stood on her tiptoes and put her arms around his neck.

"You'd better."

Then she brushed his lips lightly. Alec kissed her back, putting his arms around her waist. Before he knew what was happening, he had her on the bed and she was fumbling for the zip of his trousers. Alec was dismayed she was wearing a pull-on bra and lifted it over her head, her breasts spilling out, Alec kneeling over her, then he bent down to kiss them. She was beautiful and she knew it, her hair fanning out on the pillow, her smile and her curves. He wanted to take her all in at once but knew he would be a goner if he tried. Maybe it was just as well he had never imagined Rose Tyler would invite him into her bed.

He took his trousers off and climbed back on to her, kissing her all over her tummy and above, Rose holding on to him. He knew he had been stupid to think this was going to lead to other things, he could barely contain himself. What would he be like if she really expected him to follow up on this? They both had a piece of underwear on though Alec wished her knickers were not containing so much material although they did seem to cling to her, a stretch material that he could almost feel through as he lay on one elbow, tracing the line of the waistband.

Rose put her finger on the waistband of his briefs, Alec wishing he had worn boxers and more than aware he was already revealing his bulge, much to his embarrassment. She smiled and let go.

"You're not shy are you Alec?"

"Me? No, not really it's just I've not been completely honest with you Rose. As much as I'd love to follow this up, I'm afraid that might not be possible."

"Oh. You're not married are you or already have a girlfriend?"

"No, I'm divorced, no girlfriend, no-one would put up with me now anyway. I've got a bit of a problem and before you think the worse like I'm not able to 'perform' or anything, it's not that but I can't tell you."

Rose pushed him onto his back and sat up over him.

"Then tell me Alec, I'm going home on Sunday anyway, who am I going to tell? Is it something your boss doesn't know? Something serious?"

It was and she was certainly not helping his condition as she ran her finger down his chest to his belly button, making him quiver.

"Rose, I would but since you're going, there's no need to get you involved in it. Are you ok if we just do some more of this?"

He pulled her down and began snogging her like crazy.

After wiping the grin off her face, she nodded. "Yeah, I wasn't really up for much else, I was going to tell you if you went too far. Can I trust you enough if I take mine off, you keep yours on?" She fingered the waistband of her black knickers.

Alec was relieved she had taken this so well. "Am I ok with it? Oh yes Rose, I most definitely am. May I?"

He took the material in his fingers, touching her hand then together, they lowered the garment, revealing her flat stomach and her hips until she let go and allowed him to pull them down. She went to lay on him, Alec enjoying the feeling despite him still wearing his briefs.

"I would have thought you were a boxers sort of man Alec," she whispered in his ear.

"Really Rose? Then for you I'll be sure I wear some tomorrow, if you want more of this?"

Rose sighed in his ear. "Yes Alec, I want more and maybe tomorrow, you'll get to take them off instead. We still have two more nights before I have to leave. Why did you wait so long?"

"Seriously? You're the famous Rose Tyler and I thought you were way out of my league."

"No you're not and don't believe all the things you've read about me in the media. I'm not out with a different bloke every week. Sometimes, I let men take me out just to please my mother. Sometimes a man will ask me to dance at a function and I just happen to have my photo taken. Just a few weeks ago, there was this actor who you look like a bit and he was chatting me up and we were laughing and a photo was taken and it was all over town that we were jumping in each other's beds. I never saw him after that, it must have scared him off."

"Can't say I saw it but I have been a bit pre-occupied lately. Why would it put someone off though? I would have thought it would give a bloke a bit of an ego."

"Very funny Alec, it always puts men off, being in the papers all the time. Why do you think I'm staying away from that Olly Stevens?"

"Right, sorry. I promise you Rose I'll try and keep him away from you and if I get my picture in the Broadchurch Echo, I'll welcome it and have something to remember you by."

"You're so sweet Alec, maybe I won't want to leave if you say things like that?"

"You're just saying that Rose. Do you actually have to work to earn a living or do you attend charity functions as a way of life?"

She wanted to tell him, maybe if she stayed, she might.

"No Alec, I work for a living, for my stepfather but don't ask me what I do."

"Why not? Is it a secret?"

"Yes and maybe you should stop being a detective and push me onto my back and snog me senseless again?"

"Who am I to argue with that?"

He did as she had requested. She had tried to convince herself that Alec was a distraction but she knew deep down that he was no such thing. Two more nights and she would be back at work, hoping someone had found the right universe. Rose fell asleep in his arms, feeling contented for the first time in a long time and woke up to find him watching her.

"Hi, how long have you been awake and watching me?"

"Not long and you screw your face up when you're sleeping, you looked so adorable. What do you have planned for today?"

"Making sure that creep Olly doesn't follow me around for starters, then I might go down the coast a bit, there's a beach I want to visit, my little brother likes seashells and I thought I may take a look and he wants a boat to play with in his bath so I have to get that today before I forget. What about you, are you going to be free for lunch today? I'd like to see you during the day, not just in here, if that's ok?"

"Yes, I'll see if I can change my busy schedule to accommodate you shall I?" he teased, leaning over to kiss her nose.

Rose waved him off. "Yuck, you made my nose wet and it itches now, you and your beard. It makes you look cute."

"I get a 'Yuck' out of you? I could really feel deflated by that remark you know. Would you like to go out tonight? Seeing as you like getting in the newspapers?"

Rose smiled and went to lay on him as he held her tightly and kissed her neck. "Mmm, I'd like that and I like you kissing my neck but I was rather hoping for a morning snog before you have to leave. Do you have time?"

"Oh yes Rose, I have the time, come here."

After breakfast, Rose decided to make an early start since she was meeting him at the harbour café but didn't see Olly taking a photo of her as she came out and kissed Alec on the cheek before fetching her car around then dropping him off outside the station. Olly had been waiting for her to come out so he could follow her again, telling his editor he was onto a big story. It would be if he could get a date with her. Now she was kissing that new DI who had already warned him twice to stay out of his way and who was getting into her car. He'd show Hardy. He had already been credited with being the worst cop in Britain. Now he could get him for gold-digging with the famous Rose Tyler. Maybe he would still get a story out of this but the woman had no taste in men.

After successfully getting Tony a wooden painted boat and a bag full of assorted seashells, Rose parked near the harbour café and saw Alec walking across the harbour. She waved to him and waited. He admired her car as she stood beside it.

"Nice car Rose, it's an unusual shade of blue, I don't think I've ever seen it before. You know it makes it more of a target, don't you?"

"Nah, you should see the security system and even if someone tows it away, they'll never get inside it. The door and the ignition are keyless, using a smart system." It was a bit more than that, Jake had made sure no-one could hack into it and the windows were smash proof but Pete had concerns if the emergency services were to need access so there was one piece that was normal glass where not much damage could be done.

"Really? Should I have expected any less from you? It's like something from the future."

Rose smiled and took his hand. She wanted to brag it had been masterminded by Torchwood but couldn't – not yet, not until she was sure of him.

Alec kept his word and collected her from her room at seven, having to leave Miller to finish some work, not being proud of himself since she had a family to go home to but Rose was leaving on Sunday and he didn't want her to. Why had he been such an idiot and left it almost too late? He had been afraid to tell her what was wrong with him but maybe he would tell her tonight. If she threw him out, they hadn't really gone that far last night, it had been nice and she hadn't been demanding, maybe she was just lonely and what she had said was true, she never went on real dates and maybe their date tonight was the first one she'd had in a long time, it was certainly his and he wasn't going to spoil it. He was going to chance it and have one special night with Rose Tyler – even if it half killed him. If he survived, then Olly Stevens would have something to write about.