Bigger on the inside: Space, Time Travel, Alien Criminals (A Space Time Travel Mystery Book 1)

by Alianna Smith

  “I want you,” he burst out. He wanted her so much it was almost embarrassing. Since they’d made love two nights before he hadn’t been able to think of anything else. He’d dreamed of it, waking with a stifled shout and sticky pyjama bottoms like a teenager. But it was true. He wanted her.

  “You’ve got me,” Rose sighed, gasping as his fingers brushed her nipple. He’d somehow brushed the bra out of the way to get what he wanted, where he wanted to touch her.

  “Rose, please,” he groaned, rotating his pelvis, grinding his hard cock into her.

  “Yes,” she hissed. While he shrugged off his jacket, her fingers undid the fastenings of his jeans and he almost sobbed with relief when she cupped him through his pants. He jerked away from her to slide a hand beneath her black skirt. His eyes went wide when his fingers reached her damp flesh. She hadn’t worn any knickers.

  “Minx,” he gasped. Rose cried out when he slid his fingers inside her. How wet she was already.

  “Dave!” she moaned, his name a prayer and a plea.

  “Condom,” he managed to say. It was in the inside breast pocket of his leather jacket; a whole string of the small foil squares. He’d put them there so he didn’t forget them. They broke apart briefly, he to get one of the packets and shove down his jeans and pants, Rose to hike up her skirt.

  He also tore his shirt and vest up and over his head before rolling on the condom. He didn’t want to make love to her half-dressed. He wanted, needed, to be naked. Rose’s eyes went wide when she saw him, but before she could even touch the button tape of her blouse Dave had closed the distance between them. “Don’t, please. I need you.”

  They kissed, Rose hooking her right leg around his waist. She hadn’t taken off her heels yet, which made making love to her like this a lot easier. She had one arm around his neck, and he supported her leg and kissed her deeply. “Guide me, Rose,” he whispered.

  “Yes.” She reached between them with her free hand and grasped his cock, sliding its head through the slickness between her folds before pushing him into her with a prolonged moan. “Oh, Dave.”

  With a tilt of his pelvis, he slid deeper into her, his eyes fluttering shut. He couldn’t believe he was making love to her like this, up against the wall in a hotel room, he naked but she almost fully dressed. The feeling of being one with her again was exquisite, and once she couldn’t take him any deeper, he held still, savouring her warmth and her tightness. The heel of her shoe was digging into his bum, and the silk of her blouse felt almost as soft as her bare skin.

  “Dave,” she whispered, her lips brushing his ear. “Please, please do something. Fu… please, I need you. You feel so good inside me.”

  He slid out of her almost all the way just to push back inside her as slowly as he could. He’d opened his eyes to look at her as he did so and a current of delight swept through him when she held his gaze. She mouthed his name, daring him. He withdrew only to return with a little more force, eliciting a sigh from her. He adjusted his grip on the back of her knee. Then he slid in and out of her, as slowly as possible this time, trying to make her beg and moan and ask for more, deeper, faster, harder.

  But she didn’t. She tipped her head back against the wall, exposing the length of her neck for him to nibble. The next time, he drove himself into her with more force and Rose rewarded him with an almost undignified but satisfying gurgle.

  “Like this, Rose?” he challenged her.

  “Like this,” she managed to say. “Please, Dave, please. Dave…”

  “Touch yourself. I’m so close,” he murmured. “I want… I want us to come together. Can you… can you do that?”

  “Yeah.” She reached between them and brushed her fingertips against the length of his cock as he slid out of her before finding her clit and rolling it between her fingers. She moaned as he pushed back inside her, and it didn’t take her long to set up a rhythm that matched his.

  “You are perfect,” he whispered, nuzzling her neck, his saliva and her sweat coating her neck and making it shine. “I love you, Rose Tyler.”

  She crashed her lips against his. “Make me come, Dave. Make me come.”

  And he did. He pushed into her a few times before he could feel the tension coil in his groin. She suddenly seemed tighter than ever and then, with one last stroke and a clench of her muscles, he spilled himself inside her, burying his sob in the warmth of her neck. He could feel her fingernails graze his scalp, and then she, too, cried — she cried! — when she came apart around him.

  For a moment, for an hour, they were still, breathing, drinking in each other’s scent, their hearts beating out a frantic rhythm. His knees were pleasantly wobbly, and he needed to adjust his grip around her thigh, digging his fingers into her flesh. But it was perfect. The moment was perfect, she was perfect.

  Rose clenched her muscles around him, gifting him with a few more moments of bliss before he needed to let go of her. He did so with the exaggerated care of a tipsy person, not wanting to hurt her as he slid out of her.

  Rose smiled at him, drawing him back to her by the back of his neck for a kiss. “I love you, Dave Tiler.”

  He grinned and made a few goofy little sounds. “Are you all right? I didn’t hurt you?” he asked, sobering as he realised that he’d probably pushed into her with enough force to bruise her.

  “No, I’m all right. A bit dizzy maybe,” she said, stepping out of her high heels. She seemed so much smaller all of a sudden. She touched his chest. How warm her hand was. “Why don’t you clean up while I…”

  “Slip into something more comfortable?” he suggested, finishing the clichéd line. He suddenly felt very damp and very sticky.

  She smiled. “A lot more comfortable.” She sashayed into the main room, her fingers already busy with the buttons of her blouse. The thought struck him that he wanted to be the one to do that, but he needed to take care of himself. After giving himself a quick wash he returned to the main room with a damp flannel. It wasn’t really necessary but he wanted Rose to be comfortable. She had slipped beneath the crimson and purple sheets naked.

  “You’re beautiful,” he blurted.

  “So’re you.”

  After a few long beats he joined her on the bed to give her the flannel. “I thought you might like this.”

  Rose smiled. “Thanks.” After she’d taken care of herself, he snuggled up to her beneath the covers. He hadn’t noticed the slight chill in the room until Rose’s skin warmed him.

  “Thank you,” he whispered. “For rescuing me.”

  “Pleasure,” she murmured sleepily, and together they dozed off when no more words needed to be said.

  -:-

  He suggested they take a walk. It only occurred to him that her smart outfit wasn’t really suitable for walks when he pulled on his own sturdy boots. He’d set off to take pictures that morning, just for his own pleasure. He’d felt the strong urge to get away from it all. He felt guilty for betraying Rita and his children. He felt guilty for hiding away from the world with Rose. Although he had spent a lot of time with the bairns, he couldn’t shake the notion that it wasn’t enough, that he looked forward to Sunday nights and Wednesday afternoons more than he should.

  He was so lost in thought that he only noticed Rose had changed into a pair of hiking trousers and boots when she touched his shoulder to get his attention. “Hey, are you all right?” she asked, her amber eyes worried.

  He smiled weakly. “I suppose I am.” And after a pause, he added, “I feel guilty. We should talk.”

  “Yeah,” Rose nodded, her eyes solemn.

  “I don’t think this is wrong… us is wrong. It’s just,” Dave interrupted himself to take a deep breath, “the baggage is turning out to be heavier than we anticipated, isn’t it?”

  Rose held out her hand for him. “Well then, let’s go.”

  “Have you planned this?” he asked, looking her up and down.

  She shrugged, tucking the tip of her tongue into the corner of her mouth. “I migh
t have. I have these clothes at the Priory, just in case we have to go out into the country with little notice.”

  The idea that she worked for the police flashed up again unbidden, along with the astronomical amount of compensation money. Rose had assured him that she didn’t work for the police; it angered him that he actually had to remind himself of that, and that he’d had this thought in the first place.

  “That’s very sensible.”

  When they left the drive of the hotel Rose took his hand and asked him what was bothering him. “What’s on your mind, Dave?” she asked.

  “I don’t know where to begin,” he said eventually. It was true. His mind was reeling. “I’m sorry for taking you like I did.”

  “Don’t worry. I enjoyed it; it was just a bit of a surprise, is all,” Rose said, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze.

  “It scared me,” Dave said. “I scared myself. It was… I was almost out of control. I needed you so badly, Rose. I’m so glad you came.” They stopped briefly for an embrace.

  “What happened, Dave?” Rose asked as he rested his head on her shoulder. She wove her fingers into his hair.

  He told her about his guilt and the compensation. “But at the same time,” he continued before she had a chance to say something, “being with you feels so very right. When I’m with you I get to know a hidden part of myself… a good one.” The last bit he added to make sure that she didn’t misunderstand him. He’d needed to explain to her how he felt so she didn’t get the idea that what they were doing was bad.

  “I know what you mean. It is a bit soon,” she said, brushing her thumb over the back of his hand. “And I meant it when I said I’d love to meet your kids when you’re ready for it. When they are ready for me. How are they coping?”

  “We’ve become very good at cuddling,” he said. “I’m a bit worried about Evie. The others have told me how they feel, but I suppose she’s too little for that. Sometimes I can hear her whisper to her doll. I think she’s in a completely different world then.”

  Rose nodded thoughtfully. “Girls like to do that. Dolls are like their best friends, because they’re always there and will always listen. I think she’ll come to you when she’s ready.”

  “Her brothers make sure she gets most of the cuddles,” he said.

  “What about Lucy?”

  “She’s with her birth father, and I think the move has done her good. We all miss her terribly, of course.”

  “When’s the inquiry?” Rose asked, picking up on his reluctance and changing the topic. Too bad it wasn’t one he wanted to discuss. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Rose; he didn’t trust himself. He missed Lucy badly and he was terrified of losing her more than ever, particularly now that he knew how much she enjoyed life with the Quinlans.

  “Next Tuesday,” he said. He didn’t really want to talk about it. Although he needed to know what had happened to Rita he also dreaded going there because Robin had told him that it involved CCTV footage and could be otherwise upsetting as well. He definitely wasn’t going to take the children; it would be hard to tell them and to answer their questions, but he didn’t want them there.

  “What about the compensation?”

  Dave rubbed his eyes. “That makes me feel sick.”

  Rose gave him a puzzled look.

  “It’s such an unimaginable amount of money. It’s life-changing. Well, if we get all of it. It does seem a bit preposterous to me,” he said. “It’s such a responsibility, but it’d also make the bairns’ future.”

  “In my experience, people usually get the suggested amount,” Rose said softly. “I’m not really good with money, but I can give you the number of a trustworthy banker who’ll help you with that.”

  Dave sighed in relief. “I’d hoped you’d say that. Thank you.”

  They stopped briefly for a hug and a kiss before they continued on their way in companionable silence. The quiet was wonderful, just what he had come for that morning. The wind whispered in the foliage, accompanied by the bubbling of the stream the trail followed. The air smelled sweet and clear, and he sucked it in in big lungfuls. Now that Rose was with him, he felt the rest of the tension melt away.

  When they returned to the hotel a couple of hours later it was tea time and Dave excused himself briefly to call the bairns. He didn’t want them to hear the story of his breakdown and overnight stay just from Lottie; he felt bad about being so selfish and spending the night — a whole night! — with Rose as it was.

  Ewan answered the phone. “Paul cut his palm open!” Ewan blurted.

  Dave could feel his heart plummet into the pit of his stomach. “What?”

  “It isn’t too bad. He doesn’t need stitches, but Lottie put a bandage on him. She thinks it’s better than a plaster,” Ewan went on blithely. Dave wasn’t sure whether the no-stitches part of the message reassured him or not. But Lottie had spent the previous summer as an ambulance worker’s assistant and he knew her well enough by then to trust her to be able to assess an injury.

  “How did that happen?” Dave asked. He glanced briefly at Rose who was looking at him in concern.

  “We were playing football in the park. He was in the goal and he tried to block the ball. He fell into the bushes. There was something sharp, like plastic,” Ewan explained.

  “You put him in the sticks?” Dave asked. “That’s not very fair.”

  “He’s useless,” Ewan agreed, and Dave could see him nod. “But I need to practise.”

  “Yeah, you do.” He smiled at Rose to let her know that everything was all right. Then he turned away from her — she was so distracting — to explain to Ewan why he wouldn’t be home that night. The boy didn’t seem too upset by the news. In fact, if he knew his son, they had already made plans for a night without Dad and Ewan was no doubt looking forward to it. It probably involved lots of DVDs. Well, at least he could trust Lottie to stop when it was time. He told them to enjoy, and after he’d talked to Lottie about Paul’s cut he hung up feeling somewhat better.

  “They’ve planned a party,” he told Rose, slipping his phone into the back pocket of his jeans.

  “Good for them,” she says. “It’s great when the parents are gone for the night. Tony and I love it when that happens.”

  “Are you close?” Dave asked. As an only child, he had no idea what having siblings was like; he was glad that his children didn’t have to grow up without any.

  “As close as we can be with the age difference between us. I love being a child when I’m with him. Playing and goofing around,” Rose said. “I won’t see him as often now though, now that I live here.”

  They had dinner sent up to their room. Rose told him she was in no mood to face the other hotel guests, but Dave knew that actually she wanted to protect their privacy. If the children and his family were to learn about their relationship before they had a chance to tell them, all hell would break loose.

  They made love again, and when they lay, sated and sweaty, in each other’s arms, Dave realised that he wouldn’t have to leave for the night. They could sleep curled up together and they would be able to make love again in the morning. It was the most perfect day he’d had in a long time, and he nuzzled Rose’s hairline before he drifted off to sleep as well.

  Chapter 28

  The soft chirp of his mobile woke Dave from the most relaxing sleep he’d had in a long time. Setting the alarm hadn’t really been necessary because his car wouldn’t be repaired until early afternoon and Rose didn’t have to be anywhere, but they had decided to make the most of the time they had together. However, Dave couldn’t bring himself to wake Rose; she had slept through the alarm. She looked even younger in her sleep, and he wondered how a young woman like her could look so tough and so vulnerable at the same time. He still had a hard time reconciling his Rose with the woman who had travelled time and space. The things and people she had seen were far beyond his imagination. She could slip into his mind if she felt like it — and he had to admit that the glimpse she had
offered him was more than tantalising.

  She was lying on her back, her hair fanned out on the pillow behind her, and she offered him an unimpeded view of the map of her scars. Dave rolled onto his side, using his arm as a pillow and curling his free hand beneath his chin. Touching her was very tempting, but he wanted to watch her without making her self-conscious. He hated to think of the pain she had gone through. Seeing her in the street had broken his heart, and the feeling of helplessness that had swept through him as he’d knelt by her side swept through him again. He hoped he’d never have to see her like that again because he knew that he wouldn’t be able to do anything. Holding her hand seemed like nothing compared to what she needed.

  She had suffered them to get back the swashbuckling alien she loved.

  The idea that she would do something like this for him made him shiver.