An Officer and the Noble Woman, Part 16
Title: An Officer and the Noble Woman, Part 16
Author: dtstrainers
Paring: Donna Noble/Peter Carlisle
Beta/Co-Captain of this Ship: WhosInTheAttic- Special, special thanks. You know why.
Rating: M for Mature. You were warned.
Word Count: 7,451
Summary: A typical night out at the George with Peter and Donna.
Disclaimer: Donna and Peter- oh, fudge- just about EVERYONE in this novelisation of my OTP belong to others, except in my own twisted version of what should be. I'm just writing it down to get it out of my system. Honest.
Part 1 | Part 5 | Part 10 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18.1 | Part 18.2 | Part 19 | Part 20.1 | Part 20.2
Saturday, 19 May 2012 7:45 PM
It all started with a kiss; just a little one, not even enough to qualify as a full-on snog. A gentle, hesitant brush of lips, chaste and discreet, music filling the air under a canopy of stars and suddenly, there was no turning back. Heads swam, hearts raced fast, too fast, and they were lost.
**********
They’d arrived early, sitting at the bar to order dinner- much to Lewis, the barkeep’s surprise- not wanting to monopolize Donna’s regular spot for just the two of them on a busy Saturday night. Perched side by side on the old wooden stools, they’d bantered with Lewis as he refilled their pints and Mairead when she’d brought their meal out from the kitchen. As the crowd began to swell and the resultant din to build, Peter had nudged Donna’s shoulder with his own. She’d turned, smiling, to bat at him gently and he’d nodded towards the table above, waggling his eyebrows with a hopeful smile. At Donna’s answering grin, he scooped up their drinks and headed towards the stairs, pausing to wait for her to go before him.
“A shame Nerys couldnae join us t’night,” Peter said with false sincerity.
“Couldn’t find a sitter on such short notice,” Donna lied: she hadn’t asked, unsure if she was ready to expose Peter to Nerys at this point in their relationship.
He nodded and added knowingly, “We’ll have to give her more notice next time.” After a moment, he added sincerely, “I really do want to meet yer friends,” and he was rewarded with a sweet smile from Donna.
He’d been so preoccupied with the thought of moving somewhere a bit more private that it was only when he leaned over to place their drinks on the table that he’d realized he’d neglected to settle the bill downstairs.
“Whoops,” he said, reaching behind to fish out his wallet from his pocket as he started back to the bar, “forgot to pay. Be right back- it wouldn’t do for Lewis and Mairead to think we’ve skipped out...”
“Sit down, Policeman. This one’s on me,” Donna drawled, her head spinning pleasantly from a combination of alcohol and amusement. Peter regarded her with a puzzled expression and she clarified. “I’ve got a tab here, ya know.”
“Oh, no, Donna,” he protested, “I’ll no have you payin’ our way and besides, I asked ye to dinner...”
She waved away his objections airly. “Copper, sit down. Lewis knows what to do, and don’t think he didn’t see us leavin’. He knows exactly where every person in this pub is, at any given moment, and if anyone had the audacity to try and skip out on the bill, he’d have Mairead on ‘em so fast, their heads would spin. Kinda like mine, actually, but not as fun,” she mused, smiling slightly before continuing. “I wouldn’t recommend that. It’s not a pretty sight when she gets her Irish up and goes after someone. Aaannnndddd, if you’ll think back,” she sang, waggling a finger at him, “I asked you to dinner: not the other way ‘round. So sit.”
When he swayed slightly on the spot, she wasn’t sure if it was indecision or intoxication that affected his balance.
“You,” she barked sternly, pointing at Peter, “Sit. Now.” She patted the chair beside her with a straight face. “You’re not a kept man,” she continued, ending on a giggle, completely ruining her serious demeanor. “Lewis and Mairead both know you’ve paid every other time we’ve been here, so your manly pride can stay intact.”
“But, Donna...” he began in what he hoped was a reasonable tone.
“Peter, you’re brilliant! Your butt is exactly what I want you to park in this chair, right here,” she said, wobbling a bit in her own chair with a silly smile.
When he still failed to move, Donna pulled out her trump card and added in a sultry voice, “Please don’t deprive me of the pleasure of your company, not even for a minute.”
He smiled suddenly, one of his gorgeous, blinding, irrepressible grins and said, “Why, Miss Noble, if I dinnae know better, I’d say ye were slightly impaired, under the influence of strong drink.” He ambled back to her and leaned over, bracing himself on the arms of her chair.
“You’re wrong, Copper. Just a bit pissed, is all,” she clarified with a silly smirk as her hands drifted of their own accord to cover his.
“Unfit to walk,” he countered, leaning closer, his smile as dark as his eyes, “exhibiting behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress t' others.”
“Are you feelin’ harassed, alarmed or distressed, DI?” she asked, her smile threatening to morph into a grin as her hands slowly made their way up his forearms.
“Oh, most definitely,” he replied, moving to whisper in her ear, “but that’s not to be taken as a cease and desist order.”
“Are you insinuating that I’m drunk and disorderly?” she protested, suppressing a guffaw and batting his chest without any force as he nipped at her neck.
Peter caught her hand and smiled mischievously. “No yet, missy, but let’s just say that before this evenin’ is concluded, I hope to have cause to issue a Penalty Notice,” he purred, ducking forward for a kiss before finally collapsing into the chair beside her.
So there they sat, giggling and flirting shamelessly, occasionally putting their heads together and whispering some shared secret before dissolving in peals of suppressed laughter. Peter stretched theatrically and draped his arm around Donna’s shoulder, squeezing her arm gently and and breaking out in a grin as Donna batted his hand away and leaned back into him with her shoulder. He made a scene of swaying in his chair for a moment before Donna rolled her eyes to the heavens and snagged the front of his jumper to drag him back to her, all the while oblivious to Mairead smiling from below.
**********
“Donna, my glass is empty,” Peter said slowly, peering into the bottom of his pint. “Why... is my glass empty?”
“ 'Cos, ya big dumbo, we’re on the second floor, all by our lonesome, and Mairead and Margaret don’t have time to be traipsin’ up the stairs just to check on us,” Donna replied, amused. She suspected he wasn’t half as plastered as he let on, but she was still enjoying the situation immensely. He was relaxed and playful, and watching him, Donna decided he just might be taking advantage of the situation, allowing himself a bit of licence to flirt in public. He smiled at her brightly, which all but confirmed her suspicions, and grabbed her by the hand, tugging her out of her chair.
“Well, then,” he said as he drew her into his arms for a quick kiss, “we’ll just have to remedy that situation immediately.” He guided her to the stairs and took hold of both her hand and the handrail, making sure they got safely back to the ground floor. Donna sauntered over to the bar and leaned against it, waiting for Lewis to notice her as Peter’s attention was drawn to the back window and the stage behind the George.
“Oi!” Donna yelled when Lewis didn’t respond in what she deemed was a reasonable amount of time, catching both Peter and Lewis off-guard. “What’s a lady have to do to get served around here?” She tried her best to scowl, but when Lewis jumped in surprise, she dissolved in gales of laughter.
“Oh, no, Donna, you’re no mere lady. You’re a woman,” Lewis cried with gusto when he’d had a moment to recover. “And I just heard you roar,” he added, sotto voce for the benefit of the regulars gathered about. He plopped a pint on the bar before her with a wink and nodded knowingly to Peter. “How ya holdin’ up there, mate? Another for you, too?”
Peter nodded and made a point of pushing a twenty across the bar. As he placed Peter’s drink on the counter, Lewis’s eyes shot over to Donna, who shook her head. Stymied, Peter looked between them both before pointedly stuffing the cash into the tip jar on the bar, much to Lewis’ amusement. With a smug expression of triumph, he leaned across Donna and snagged both their drinks before turning for the door that lead to the stage, Donna following behind with an annoyed quirk to her lips. When Peter turned, drinks in hand, to back out of the door, his self-satisfied expression forced Donna to look away quickly, lest he see her irritation change to amusement.
Peter stood just outside the doorway as Donna joined him on the crowded patio. Fully half the Saturday crowd had gathered there in the cool evening breeze, and looking around, he found there were no empty tables left. He shifted, trying to decide whether they should lean against the wall or try and find seats at one of the crowded tables to listen to the trio on stage, the female singer belting out an Etta James cover. Just as he resolved to attempt to make space for them at a nearby table, Donna snagged his arm and nodded towards the stairs hugging the back of the building. The first few steps were taken, but the treads were wide enough for them to make their way higher up and sit to watch the rest of the concert. Peter nodded his assent and Donna relieved him of one of the glasses, taking a drink before heading up, the better to avoid spilling anything on the people below as she went aloft. Peter followed her and sat down, two steps above Donna so she could sit sideways, stretched out with her back against the railing and her arm resting on his knees.
Peter listened to the music- the vocalist was actually quite good- and leaned back on one elbow sipping his drink, gazing at the profile of the woman below him. Donna had set her own drink down and was smiling slightly as she closed her eyes, leaning forward, hugging Peter’s knees together and resting her head there as she listened. The crowd applauded as the song ended and Peter reached out to stroke Donna’s hair gently before he caressed her arm. When she turned to beam at him, Peter spread his legs and Donna gave him a knowing smile before moving up and shifting in between them.
It started innocently enough, with Donna settling back and hooking an arm around each of his knees, Peter still stroking her hair. When the keyboardist played the first few notes of one of her favorite songs, Donna grinned and tossed her head back into his lap to look up at him and Peter laughed, leaning forward to kiss her gently. When they parted, she stretched back to put her arms around his waist, drawing him closer. Donna closed her eyes and listened to the music as he watched the performance and continued to toy with her hair. He glanced down at her and was momentarily distressed when he saw a tear streak down her cheek until he noticed she was silently mouthing the lyrics.
“You've been on my mind, I grow fonder every day,
Lose myself in time just thinking of your face,
God only knows why it's taken me so long to let my doubts go,
You're the only one that I want ...”
He reached down to brushed the droplet from her face and when she opened her eyes to look up at him, Peter was startled to see how blue they were, brimming with tears threatening to spill over. He gazed down and was relieved to see her smiling through her tears and he cupped her face, stroking her cheekbone with his thumb. She turned her face into his caress and closed her eyes again, continuing to silently repeat the words as the vocalist sang.
“I don't know why I'm scared, I've been here before,
Every feeling, every word, I've imagined it all,
You'll never know if you never try,
To forget your past and simply be mine ...”
Peter had heard the song a hundred times or more, but until he watched Donna’s reaction, he hadn’t really paid attention to the meaning behind the words and suddenly, he couldn’t bear to let her cry. Impulsively, he leaned forward to kiss her again, upside down, and Donna laughed and sat up. She shifted sideways between his knees and Peter leaned forward to curl his arm about her waist. This time, when she followed along with the singer, she whispered the lyrics in his ear.
“I dare you to let me be your, your one and only,
Promise I'm worthy to hold in your arms,
So come on and give me a chance,
To prove I am the one who can walk that mile,
Until the end starts.”
When she pulled back, smiling, he glanced around the audience outside and saw that all eyes were on the stage, so he risked pulling her up into a brief but passionate kiss. He nibbled at her bottom lip before releasing her and was rewarded with a giddy, dazed expression on her face. He started to lean back again, but her arms shot out around his neck and she pulled him, unprotesting, back to her mouth. As her tongue danced over his, he had to admit- she gave as good as she got. When they broke apart finally, his look of surprise was matched only by her delight: sitting between his legs as she was, she’d felt his response to her assault. She smiled, biting her thumb and Peter felt himself harden as the tip of her tongue peeked out, playing about in her mouth. Her satisfaction with his flustered state was complete, and this, he decided, would not be allowed to stand. Her eyes fluttered shut as he leaned in once more and kissed her cheek, her lips and her neck before moving down and biting the round of her shoulder.
Donna bit back a shriek and caught the railing before her, hauling herself to her feet and tugging at his hand. He just managed to stack his empty glass in hers and grab them both before she yanked him upright and she had to lean against him to prevent him overbalancing and toppling down the stairs. He reeled for a moment before he righted himself and they both giggled in relief as they made their way to the door. Donna backed through the door, taking the glasses from Peter’s hand as he stumbled behind her when he tried to kiss her again, and turning back towards the bar, she froze dead in her tracks.
The pub was deathly silent until Peter caught her in his arms and Donna was unprepared for the cacophony that enveloped them both as the room was flooded with applause, cheers and not a few catcalls from the patrons within. In answer to Donna’s look of confusion, every arm in the place shot up and, as one, pointed to the window above the bar: the window that afforded a spectacular framed view of the spot on the stairs they’d recently occupied. Donna’s face flamed brighter than her hair and she tried desperately to melt into the floor, giving up and turning to hide her face in Peter’s chest. He had the good grace to at least flush slightly before beaming and waving at the crowd as he walked Donna to the counter and set their glasses down.
Amid the cries of “Good on ya” and “When’s the next show?”, Peter guided Donna to the exit with an embarrassed grin until someone yelled out, “This is goin’ on YouTube!” and the pub was plunged into immediate silence. Donna whirled around took a single, ominous step toward the unfortunate punter who’d made the mistake of calling that out. In the face of her fury, he threw his hands up in surrender as his wife snatched his mobile from him and deleted the video in disgust.
“It’s taken care of, Donna,” she said as she tossed the phone back to her chastised husband. Donna stared hard at the man for a moment longer before she shifted her eyes to his wife.
“Thank you, Susie,” she said cooly, nodding at her before again fixing her husband with a baleful eye. She stepped back into Peter’s embrace, never breaking eye contact until they reached the door. On the threshold, Peter turned back to smirk at the offender over Donna’s head and as they stepped forth into the night, the pub erupted behind them in jeers at the expense of the man who’d made the almost-fatal mistake of offending Donna Noble.
**********
Donna flung the door to her flat open and stumbled inside with Peter close behind. He nudged the door shut with his foot as he fumbled with the buttons on Donna's blouse, growling in frustration at the sheer number of them before giving up and roughly pulling up her top. He pressed Donna back against the wall and palmed her breasts, nipping and licking her neck as he did. "D'ye think they'll still have us at the George after t'night?" he mumbled into her flesh.
"Don't worry, love," she said breathlessly, "I've seen people do far worse under the influence of drink and still be welcomed back. Granted, we'll have to put up with a fair amount of ribbing about it, but it's worth it." She grabbed a handful of his hair and dragged his mouth back up to hers, moaning as their lips met. "Anything is worth it for this."
"Aye," he agreed, his tongue slipping past her lips to caress the curves of her mouth. Her mouth was sweet and the beer on both their breaths mingled. His fingers wandered down the valley between her breasts to her trousers, where he undid the button and gingerly lowered the zip; the need to touch her was becoming unbearable. He slipped his right hand inside, and let his fingers wander beneath her knickers.
The combination of the alcohol and arousal in her system made her bold and she sucked at his earlobe before whispering, "Here, Peter. Take me here, against the wall. I want you now," and she ground her hips against his to emphasize her point.
The sound he made in return was somewhere between a groan and a growl and it arrowed straight through her, settling directly between her legs. He withdrew his fingers from their exploration of her hip and began tugging at her trousers. "Want ye, Donna, so, so badly." Donna moaned and dropped her head back against the wall as the room spun. She quickly toed off her shoes and kicked them away as Peter continued to struggle with her trousers.
Donna fumbled with his jumper and succeeded in getting one arm off before she lost her balance and nearly fell over, taking him with her. His arms encircled her before she could drop and she rewarded him with a dazzling, unselfconscious grin. "Maybe, given the circumstances," she giggled, "we'd best save the wall for another day and instead move this to somewhere more...horizontal?" She looked up at him hovering above her and impulsively licked a slow trail up his neck, from clavicle to chin, before sucking his lower lip into her mouth.
Peter finally succeeded in freeing her from her trousers. As she kicked them off, he hooked his thumbs into the sides of her knickers, easing them down her hips, smirking pruriently. "Did ye no tell me once," he said in a low, husky voice as he leaned against the wall, caging her between his arms, "that this was a fantasy of yers?"
"I know what I said earlier," she admitted breathlessly, her fingers twining in his hair as she arched up into him. "But if I do you bodily injury, we won't be able to do this again for quite some time while we heal," she snickered, rolling back slightly to regain her balance.
"Oh, but we'd be confined to bed together," he murmured as he kissed his way back up to her lips.
"They wouldn't let us be in the same room as we convalesce. Too strenuous," she gasped.
At her words, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her down to the floor with him as carefully as possible. "Soon, then," he mumbled as he he captured her mouth in a kiss and used his free hand to work his belt loose.
She inhaled sharply in surprise as he pulled her down to the floor and she slipped her hand into his trousers, whimpering when she made contact with his hot, hard length.
Peter’s breath hitched at her touch and he moved his lips to her neck, licking and sucking at the point where it joined her shoulder. Neither of them gave it a moment’s thought, but they’d find a large, red mark there the next day.
Donna pressed her thighs together, trying desperately to relieve the aching need he stirred in her just by kissing her and she traced the head of his straining erection through his pants before slipping her hand inside to touch his hot flesh.
“Donna...,” he sighed against her skin, his eyes closed tightly to the feel of her hand curled around his cock. She slowly stroked his shaft and his groans melted her from the inside. Suddenly impatient, she rolled him over and started scrabbling almost frantically at his trousers in an effort to pull them off his lean form.
Peter cooperated fully, shimmying his hips to work his trousers down. He finally raised his bum from the floor and with a cry of triumph, Donna succeeded in dragging them from his body and flinging them across the room. She was giddy and they were giggling madly and she was so, SO glad they came back to her flat instead of his, since he actually had neighbors he would have to face in the lift.
Both of them were naked from the waist down and Donna started work on his partially-unbuttoned collared shirt as he brushed his fingers across her hips, his gaze lingering on the neat thatch of hair just above her folds.
“Ye are beautiful,” he whispered. “All of ye,” he sighed, reaching to stroke her.
She suddenly sobered under his gaze and bit her lip. “In your eyes, love,” she said with a wistful smile. “I wish I were as beautiful as you make me feel.” She put both hands on his chest and leaned into him, kissing him almost apologetically.
Peter stared at her sadly in disbelief. How could she be so blind about herself when she saw the rest of the world so clearly? How could she still doubt his word? “I have an idea,” he blurted without thinking, and as soon as the words left his mouth, he was embarrassed. Too many drinks had passed his lips that night and after this, she was going to think he was some kind of sex pervert.
“Yes, love?” Donna said, puzzled.
“Let's move this to yer bed,” he said quietly, struggling to his feet before helping her to hers.
“I'll follow you anywhere, but that's not a very original idea,” she teased.
“Just wait,” he replied. They moved down the hall to her bedroom, and he flipped the light on and smiled. When Donna saw the way he looked at her mirrored closet doors, it clicked and she smiled bashfully, both wildly excited and terribly afraid of what he might have in mind.
Before he could reconsider his intended course of action and risk her misinterpreting, Peter whirled her around and pressed her to the bed; in full view of the mirrors, he kissed his way down her body. “Watch,” he whispered before burying his face between her legs.
Donna had never really indulged in watching dirty movies- a Mills & Boon was her usual guilty pleasure- but looking at him moving down her body made her reconsider for the future. “Oh, Peter, what you do to me, the way you make me feel,” she breathed, “it's not legal.”
He responded with a swirl of his tongue and a hum of approval, his head swimming with beer and he was so randy, he could barely contain it. He felt his self-control slipping; he wanted to make her come so badly, he wanted to taste her. He felt her thighs tremble under him and he dropped one hand to his cock, wrapping his fingers around his length as he gave himself a few strokes.
Donna moaned under him and lost all sense of propriety as his tongue flitted across her clit. She twined her fingers desperately in his hair and her back arched up under his attentions. “Peter, now! Please, I want you inside me. Don't make me beg!” she cried.
He stilled between her legs, his eyes looking up questioningly at her, uncertain if he should give in: she hadn’t come yet, but he really didn’t want her thinking she had to beg- not tonight. He gave her slick heat a parting kiss before wiping his mouth with his shirtsleeve and he wondered then why he was still wearing a shirt. He peeled it off and chucked it off the bed before crawling lithely up the length of Donna's body. "Take this off," he said gruffly, plucking at her shirt.
The dark tone of his voice made her heart catch in her chest and flooded her system with an extra jolt of desire. Donna wanted to tantalize him, to slowly unfasten each button, but something in his eyes warned her that now was not the time. She quickly grabbed the hem of her blouse and pulled it up and off her body in one swift movement before falling back to the bed under him.
"Bra, too," he said in the same tone, seeing how it affected her.
She tried to fumble behind her, cursing whoever thought it wasn't a good idea to manufacture front-fastening bras in her size, and finally succeeded in unhooking it. She loosened it, pulling it roughly from her body before flinging it across the room to join her blouse.
Peter's eyes lit up at the sight of her bare breasts, and at last he covered her body fully with his. He settled between her legs, one hand stroking teasingly between them. He kissed Donna's neck and whispered in her ear, “Watch me. Watch us.” He nodded towards the mirror. She stared at him before nodding hesitantly. When she turned her head, he pushed into her carefully but quickly, burying himself fully within her, groaning at her tight heat around him.
When Donna faced the mirror at his- request? command?- she couldn't believe what she saw. He trembled as he thrust into her and the combination of his cock filling her, his groans in her ears and the sight of him so far gone in his desire for her overwhelmed her. She clutched at his arms and cried out, “Peter, oh yes, love, I'm so close....”
Peter propped himself up on his arms, looking down at her as she gazed into the mirror. He could almost feel her eyes passing over him, and it set his skin to tingling: he wondered if she enjoyed the dips and curves of his body as much as he enjoyed hers. He wondered if she liked the way he moved against her and into her and when she called out to him, he increased his pace. He looked down at her face and her exposed neck and the surge of love and lust that overtook him, threatening to overpower him, was impossible to describe. He wanted her to see it so badly. Sometimes, he doubted that she saw it when she looked him directly in the eye, and he prayed for her to see it now.
As she watched him watching her, it was suddenly all too much for her to process at once and she closed her eyes. “Peter,” she groaned, tears making their escape down her face and into her hair, “you're everything I've ever wanted. I've been looking for you my whole life.” She turned back to the mirror once more and was startled at what she saw. She grinned wildly then, understanding flaring in her mind- it didn't matter how the rest of the world saw her: he found her beautiful, so she was. She began to laugh and cry and clutch at him desperately as her orgasm washed over her.
As her body gave in to the pleasure, so did his; Peter's rhythm fell apart as he emptied himself into her. He cried out before collapsing into her arms, held tight in her embrace. “Donna, I really do love ye. With everythin' I am. Please see that; please know it's true. Please... please... please....” He was nearly whispering, only faintly remembering that he didn’t allow himself to drink as much as he had very often because it turned him into a right soppy git, but the words were true, so he allowed them.
Donna was smiling so much, she knew her face would hurt later, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that she loved the man in her arms and she knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he truly loved her in turn. "Peter, I love you, now and always and I want to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much,” she breathed. “Policeman, don't ever doubt that. Don't ever leave me, please. I couldn't bear it. It would kill me after havin’ this with you.” She closed her eyes and Peter felt her shudder beneath him.
He pulled back to cup her face. “Hey, none o' that, I'm not goin' anywhere, eh? I'm right here.” He smiled, realizing that it was all so true, and that he was actually still inside of her. These were some of the moments he loved most; when their brains were swimming with chemicals in the aftermath of their passion, and he thought that this was the closest they could ever be, and it warmed his heart.
“Oh, Peter,” Donna said, “if this is what happens when we drink too much and almost get thrown out of our pub, how are we ever gonna learn to behave in public?” She sighed in mock-tragedy and he laughed and kissed the tip of her nose. In return, she lightly raked her nails down his back and wondered if the silly grin she was wearing- the only thing she was wearing- would ever fade.
“Weeelllll, I think....,” he drawled, nipping at her neck to watch her squirm, “I think next time we shouldn't start snogging in front of a large window.” He rolled off her and propped his head up on one arm as he traced her cheek with a finger of the opposite hand. “Instead, maybe I'll steal you away to the lavs,” he teased as he arched a brow playfully.
Donna’s eyes went wide at the idea and she slapped at his shoulder. “In the loo?!?” she gasped, outraged. “Now, that would get us booted from the George, and maybe for good!”
“Only if we got caught,” he said, beaming as he bent to kiss her neck.
“And besides, I am NOT going in the men’s room with you,” she muttered, crossing her arms and looking at him askance.
“That’s fine and dandy,” he replied. “I was plannin’ on followin’ ye, anyway.” Her horrified expression was enough to make him flop back on the bed and laugh until he cried.
“And how would if look, Detective Inspector,” she asked pointedly when he finally was able to breathe again, “when the arrestin' officers came to collect us and you knew them by name?”
“They’d take one look at ye and pin a medal on my chest,” he said smugly. “It’d do wonders for my reputation. Though it probably wouldn’t do anythin’ to dispel the other rumor floatin’ about concernin’ me.” He scratched absently at his cheek at her silence: he knew she was waiting for him to continue.
“Well, ye haven't’ been seen by the gits I work with in person yet, and I don’t have any pictures of us on my desk or anythin’, so some of them suspect I’ve either made ye up or yer a cover for other ... activities,” he admitted, passing on some of the gossip he’d gleaned from his lunch with Ian. “It’s ok,” he said with a dismissive nod. When she didn’t respond, he explained, “Honestly, though, I'd rather have them thinkin’ I like men than the other rumor.”
She cocked her head to the side, biting her lip and trying to figure out for herself what the other rumor might possibly be. Finally conceding defeat, she raised her eyebrows and asked, “Which is....?”
“They think I got transferred because I was shaggin’ my DCI's wife,” he admitted with rueful smile. “Which is categorically untrue,” he added hastily as her eyes grew wide.
“Oh, Detective Inspector Carlisle, the things I find out about you while you're under the influence..,” Donna gasped before dissolving in peals of laughter before snuggling into his side. “That rumor I could have believed.” She lowered her voice and breathed against his neck as she trailed kisses across his shoulder. “We must do this more often...”
He curled his arm around her and pulled her closer to press a kiss into her hair. “Aye. Ye do know that ye dinnae have to get me pissed to find out about me, right? Ye can just ask,” he said quietly. “I'll tell ye an'thin' ye want to know.”
Her heart leapt at his words and again, for the third time that night, he made her cry. She was happier than she had ever been in this world, and for once, everything was right in her universe. She prayed he felt the same way. “Peter, I want to spend the rest of my life gettin’ to know you, pissed or not. I love you and nothin’ will ever change that. I want to make you happy.” She gently stroked his cheek and pushed his hair back out of his eyes before adding, “And I’d be more than pleased to make a personal appearance, just to dispel any rumors, if you like.”
He turned and kissed her hand before answering, “Only if ye want to,” as he settled back gratefully in her bed.
Donna was getting comfortable and sleepy now, but she knew she had to act before it was too late. “Now, you can lie here another 5 minutes with me before we have to get up.” When he looked at her, puzzled and maybe a bit hurt, she explained. “I know- from happy experience- what you like to do when you first wake up, and based on what we've indulged in this evenin’, it's imperative that we get water both into us and onto us. In short order, we're gonna need a hot shower and a cool drink. So let's get movin’, mister, before we both get too comfortable to care.” When Peter made a show of rolling his eyes dramatically before closing them, she poked him in the ribs- hard. “And no grousin’- you'll thank me in the mornin’... “
He yelped, rubbing the spot where she’d assaulted him gingerly and threw her a salute. “Aye, Cap’n, whatever you say.” When she nodded as if he’d only given her what was due, he decided that he could get used to the the rhythms of their relationship, especially their easy give-and-take. Donna was careful and respectful of his ideas and opinions, but no one would ever mistake her for a shrinking violet. If there was something he needed to hear, he could count on her to say it, like it or no. She was a force of nature without being forceful, and he knew she would listen, willing to be persuaded, as long as no one mistook her for a pushover. It was way too early in their relationship to act on the idea he was beginning to entertain, but maybe he could... someday ... ask Donna...
His reverie was rudely interrupted by another jab to the ribs. “Now, mister. Get movin’.”
Peter grumbled at the thought of getting out of the nice warm bed and dreaded the idea of a shower, but he knew she had a point. “Aye. Can we...shower together? It's environmentally responsible, y'know,” he asked hopefully, remembering her modest shower and waggling his eyebrows at her.
“We could...,” she replied, thoughtfully, “or we could take a bath. A long, comfortable soak... Wait, you've never seen my tub, have you?”
He quirked an eyebrow at the thought. “No, I havenae. I dinnae remember seein’ a tub in the loo, just a small shower...” he admitted as she rolled out of bed and pulled him along with her. He loved the mischievous light in her eyes as she moved behind him to push him, naked and laughing, along down her hallway.
“Well, when I bought this buildin’, I left almost everything as is- I bought it because I liked it this way- everythin’ except the bathroom. I must admit, I have a weakness for luxury in the bath and I...indulged myself.” She stopped short of the door that led to the loo, her hand resting on the doorknob to what he had assumed was a spare bedroom. “I'm right proud of it, but it's not the kind of thing you share with strangers or even casual friends. How would that sound? ‘Come over and take a look at my bath, won’t you?’ ” she said in an exaggerated tone of voice. “I'd sound barmy, wouldn't I? But you. Well, that's different. Come to think of it, other than the workmen and my Gramps, you'll be the first to see it.” She turned the knob and pushed open the door. “You're gonna love this,” she promised, pulling him inside before she flicked on the lights. “I know it's over the top, but like I said, it's my indulgence.”
“We all have at least one of those,” he said guiltily, mentally referring to the multitude of sweets in his flat, and the lollies in his pockets and the rest of his admission died in his throat as he took in the opulence before him. Her bathroom was easily twice the size of her bedroom and the top two rows of bricks along the back wall had been removed and replaced with glass blocks to let in the light from outside. She turned to him, her eyes dancing as a shy smile played about her lips.
“I think I've found another reason for them to call ye the Red Queen,” he breathed as he looked around. “Donna...this is...great.” The tub- if you could call something the size of a small indoor swimming pool a tub- featured a faucet and spout that cascaded water in a huge sheet into the middle of the bath. Behind it was a glass shower stall with three shower heads at various heights and a handheld shower head on a long hose. “This is just...lovely.”
“I told you I had a Bath Room, and this is it,” she admitted. “It’s not for everyday use, just when I need a spa day, some ‘me time’ alone from the world. Originally, it was to be a couple of spare bedrooms but I decided I was havin‘ none of that on this floor. The guest rooms are going to be upstairs when I have them finished out. Just one of the perks of being your own landlord,” she said.
“That's quite...posh,” he replied with a wink. “Separate rooms and all.” He paused for a moment, mentally replaying her last words. “Wait...ye own this buildin'?” he blurted out before he could stop. He wanted to smack himself; of course she did.
“You didn't know?” she asked, surprised.
“No, I think ye mentioned it before,” he said, awkwardly pulling at his ear, “ but I dinnae remember.” She didn’t spend all her time talking about her money, thankfully, so he often forgot.
She lifted an eyebrow in surprise and fixed him with a disbelieving stare. “You. Forgot?” She shook her head, her ginger curls bouncing about her face.
“What, ye think I was riflin' through your financial statements when I was tryin' to learn about ye?” he said, hand to his chest as he gave her a look of mock offense. “I just wanted to see if ye knew anything about my case, and maybe learn enough to chat ye up...I wasn't tryin' to see if you paid yer tax or no,” he finished with a giggle.
“And here I thought you were after me for my money,” she said playfully. “And I know you did look up at least some of my finances when you first set about helping me find out about my past.” When he opened his mouth to protest, she held up a hand. “I don't mind. I know you were only doin’ what I asked. Besides, winnin’ a triple rollover does tend to make the news and all.”
“Aye, but remember, I wasnae in London at the time. Good news does nae tend to travel that far north; only bad news. Bad news that reminds the citizens of Kendal why they dinnae want to live in London...,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. “So I only know what ye've told me and no much more than.”
Donna grinned at his cheek. “Well, I don't really have that much left, anyway. I split it with Shaun when we divorced- it was only fair, after the hell I'd put him through- and I gave a chunk to my Mum and Gramps, then bought this buildin’. The travel agency downstairs had always gone the extra mile for me when I was not so well off, and they were in danger of goin’ under, so I bought the buildin’ and reduced their rent.” She moved over to the tub and started the water, testing the temperature before turning back to him. She held out an open bottle for him to sniff, and he nodded before she added a few capfuls to the bath.
“I made some modest investments- I seem to have a talent for pickin’ stocks at their lowest, just before they start trendin’ up- and I set up a trust for myself so I don't have to work, if I don't want to, but I usually do just to stay busy,” she said, reaching out a hand to him to invite him into the bath with her.
He smiled at her as she prepared the bath and acted as if her kindness and work ethic were nothing at all. It made his heart ache, but at the same time, it was part of what made him love her. She didn't do kind things so she could tell everyone she'd done them, or get her name on a plaque: she did them because they were kind things to do. He sank into the warm water and reached up for her to join him.
“And you know the taxes are unreal, so between all that and a bit I gave away to charity, I'm not filthy rich, just....very comfortable,” she finished as she settled down into the water, between his legs once more, and sighed happily.
“And even more comfortable when we're in here and I'm rubbing your shoulders,” he said quietly, his hands massaging her back as she reflexively gripped his leg. “Just relax.”
“I think ... your actions and ... your words ... are at cross-purposes, there, Policeman,” she muttered through gritted teeth as his strong hands drifted across her bare skin. “If your goal is to get me to relax...,” she gasped, “seriously, you’re goin‘ about it all wrong.”
He chuckled behind her but showed no signs of stopping and Donna abruptly asked, “Can you swim?”
“Yes,” he answered, slowing but not ceasing his actions. He waited for her to continue; when she didn’t, his curiosity got the better of him and he finally asked, “Why?”
She turned then, on her knees, her breasts just below the surface of the water and took hold of his legs. She pulled him suddenly towards her and just before his head went under, he heard her say, “ ‘Cos I don’t want you drownin’ on me, of course...”
Part 1 | Part 5 | Part 10 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18.1 | Part 18.2 | Part 19 | Part 20.1 | Part 20.2