Cop's Passion Read online

  Cop’s Passion

  By Angela Verdenius

  (Big Girls Lovin’ trilogy)

  Smashwords Edition

  Copyright 2011 Angela Verdenius

  Cover images courtesy of Talaj, Daydreamsgirl, wrangel & istock.com

  Cover by Joleene Naylor

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  I found with Doctor’s Delight that some readers were having difficulty with the Australian slang, so I thought a list of the slang I’ve used will help while reading the following story. If I’ve forgotten any, I do apologise! Angela

  Australian Terms/Slang

  Golden Link Nursing Association - fictitious nursing organisation that visits patients at home. In reality, there are organisations that do this.

  Moosh - slang for face/mouth

  Torch - flashlight

  Mobile phone - cell phone.

  Bloke/s - men

  Iced coffee/chocolate - a milk drink flavoured with chocolate or coffee.

  RAC - Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia. Covers insurance, holidays, loans, etc.

  Tim Tams - a brand of Arnott’s Biscuits. Yummy!

  Chemist - pharmacy

  Buggered - many Aussie use it as a slang word for ‘broken’ (it’s buggered), ‘tired (I’m buggered), and ‘no way’ (I’m buggered if I’m going to do that). Just some examples.

  Bloody - a swear word ‘no bloody good’, in place of ‘no damned good’

  Tucker - food

  TLC - Tender Loving Care

  Biccies - biscuits. The same as cookies.

  Boofhead - idiot, simpleton, etc. It’s an insult, though sometimes we use it as a term of affection. It depends on how it is said and meant.

  Sheila - female.

  Hoon/s - person/people who indulge in antisocial behaviour. Great explanation in Wikipedia

  Primapore - sticky patch with a pad in it. A medical dressing.

  Panadol - paracetamol.

  Milo - chocolate malt drink. Can have it hot or cold. Yummy!

  Budgie smugglers - men’s bathers, small, brief and tight-fitting.

  Tea - some people call the evening meal dinner. In my family, we’ve always called it tea, as in breaky, dinner and tea, or breaky, lunch and tea.

  Donger - penis

  Yamaha & Suzuki - ‘brands’ of motorcycles.

  Before anyone says how stupid is Maddy for not having a mobile phone, I will tell you now that I don’t have one! Loath them, in fact .

  Chapter One

  Drip.

  Swearing, Maddy glared up at the drop of water coming through the ceiling. The wet patch was spreading and a water drop plopped down into the saucepan she’d placed beneath it.

  Chaz meowed from his position on the dressing table, his deep blue eyes watching in fascination as another water drop plopped down into the saucepan.

  Maddy glanced at her seal point Siamese cat. “Oh yes, it’s just another exciting moment for you, isn’t it?”

  One seal paw stretched out towards the saucepan, but as it was on the foot of the bed and Chaz was on the dressing table, there was a good eight feet reach.

  “Don’t overtax yourself,” Maddy said. “Heaven forbid you actually put some effort into it.”

  Drip.

  Who the hell could even predict that a rain storm would hit while it was still summer? Okay, it was more like going into autumn, but with the continued heat it felt like summer. Everyone was still running around in summer clothes. She’d personally thought they’d never see rain again, so the storm, even though predicted by the weather channel, was still a surprise.

  Unfortunately, it looked like she was going to have to put some effort into repairing the leaking roof. Typically, anything that went wrong always did so at the worse possible time. Looking back up at the ceiling, Maddy listened to the rain pelting down outside. If she didn’t do something soon, the whole damned ceiling was likely to become wet and more damage done.

  Swearing to herself, she left the bedroom and went to the kitchen to gaze out at the rain teeming down. Everything was grey outside and wetter than she’d seen in a long time. Parts of Western Australia had been suffering through droughts, so the rains were a welcome sight. They also brought to light the fact that her tin roof had a hole in it, one she was going to have to find and fix.

  Going to the door, she stepped out onto the front veranda and glanced around. The other half of the duplex next door had a light glimmering through the curtains in the lounge room window, so the neighbour was obviously home. She hadn’t actually met him yet, but she’d been busy with moving in and besides, she wasn’t one to run around introducing herself to the neighbourhood.

  The rain easing up reclaimed her attention and crossing to the edge of the veranda, she looked up at the sky. Yep, the rain was easing off and that meant that as soon as a break came in the storm, she was going up onto the roof to fix the hole before her ceiling was damaged further.

  With a shiver, but a resigned determination, Maddy went down the three steps to the paving and walked to the garage, thankful that she’d had the veranda extended to cover that area as well, for it offered protection from both rain and sun. But that’d be a moot point, she thought darkly, if she fell off the damned roof. She’d just have to be careful that she didn’t slip, and thank God it was just rain and no lightening. Yet.

  The roller door slid up smoothly and she went in to search out the extension ladder and the water-proof silicone she had put aside for emergencies. Locating the new tube of silicone, she slid it into the gun and cut the tip off the top of the tube. Within minutes she had it capped and she crossed over to the door to peer out at the rain. Drops dripped from the veranda and the water still ran in the gutters overhead, but there was a definite break in the rain. Now was the time to act.

  She jammed some rags into her back pocket and then dragged out the ladder. Placing it against the side of the garage, she gripped the silicone gun in one hand while climbing the ladder carefully, and then she swung up onto the roof. The tin was slippery, but she negotiated her way across it carefully, inspecting the roof as she did so. While there was a leak somewhere over the bedroom it was a good idea to check the whole roof while she was up there. The hole could be nearby, or there might even be - heaven forbid - a couple more holes just waiting to let the rain into her ceiling.

  Finding one hole, Maddy used a couple of rags to dry it off and then uncapping the gun, she squeezed the silicone liberally into and around the hole. Once satisfied with the job, she stood up carefully and continued her examination of the tin roof. She found another hole just about over her bedroom and repeated the drying and applying of silicone. Satisfied, she remained squatting on the roof and looked around.

  The street was quiet, the late afternoon dark grey with the heavy clouds overhead. A lone car drove past, water spraying up from under the tires.

  “What the hell?” A deep voice rumbled through the quiet, disturbing Maddy’s contentment, and she glanced down into her front yard…and gaped.

  There was a bear of a man standing in her yard glaring up at her out of eyes so pale that they were startlingly clear, even in the gloom. He was so tall that she estimated him to be at least six foot six. The t-shirt he wore emphasized the broad shoulders and big chest, and his jeans were fitted to long legs with thick thighs. The man was huge, and
any fool could see that every bit of that was muscle

  He was looking damned furious, too. Gripping the silicone gun in one hand, Maddy bit her lip. Those pale eyes were blazing up at her from under lowered, thick, dark brows, and his features were handsome in a tough, rough, ‘don’t-piss-me-off’ kind of way. The dishevelled black hair added to his dangerous demeanour.

  The man looked huge and dangerous and furious.

  Bloody hell. He was looking up at her with that expression.

  A little bewildered, Maddy stood up and glanced behind her in case someone was actually stupid enough to get up on the roof with her, but no, she was alone.

  “Lady!” The deep tones barked it out. “Get off that damned roof now!”

  “What?” Disbelieving, she stared down at him.

  “Get off that damned roof now, before you break your fool neck.”

  “I’m not going to break my neck. I-”

  “Lady.” That was all he said, ‘lady’, and there was a clear order in his tone.

  That pissed Maddy off big time. “Listen, mister, I don’t know where you think you get off telling me what to do, but you can shove it.”

  His posture changed. In movements slow and deliberate, his big hands came to rest on lean hips, the motion pushing his jacket back. His gaze was fixed steadily on her. Power, order, and full expectation of her obedience, practically vibrated off him.

  Oh yeah, like that was going to work. Folding her arms, she dangled the silicone gun from one hand and eyed him back angrily.

  After several seconds passed, he growled, “Lady, don’t make me come up there after you.”

  “You could try, mister, but I’d beat you over the head with the silicone gun.” Even from where she stood, she could see a muscle jump in his square jaw.

  And then he started to walk towards the garage, arms swinging loosely and purpose in every long step he took.

  He was heading for the step ladder.

  Alarmed, Maddy swung around and stared towards the ladder where it peeked over the edge of the roof. Her heart started beating a tattoo, but anger continued to surge as well. Who the hell was this bear, standing in her yard and yelling orders at her? And if he got to the roof, what was she going to do, fight him? What did he want, apart from her off the roof?

  A light patter of rain started to fall, and with a curse she started to walk carefully back along the roof. Flat ballerina slippers weren’t the wisest choice for a wet roof.

  “Lady!” The deep tones sounded nearer, this time from the direction of the ladder. “Get down off that damned roof. This is the last time I’m telling you. Get down right now or I’m coming up, and you don’t want that.”

  Just the idea made her laugh derisively. “You could come up, but there’s no way you could get me down if I didn’t want it, unless you mean to push me off.” She wiped a drop of rain off her forehead, cursing inwardly as the rain pattered down a little faster.

  “Trust me, I’d get you down, and it wouldn’t be over the edge, but over my shoulder.”

  “Neanderthal.” Her upper lip curled derisively, then the ladder moved slightly and her heart skipped a beat. “Don’t come up!”

  There was no answer from below, and she got to the ladder and peered down. Yep, the bear was standing at the foot of the ladder, the scowl on his face and his pale eyes blazing. He didn’t say a word, but the big paw wrapped around one of the rungs of the ladder was threat enough, as was the big boot planted firmly on the second rung. If she didn’t come down, he was coming up.

  Irritated beyond all belief, and a little afraid because really, who the hell was this bear and what did he want? Maddy placed one foot near the ladder. “What are you doing here?”

  “Looking out for you. Now move it.”

  “Who the hell are you?”

  The rain started to come down in a steady light pour, and that muscle ticked in his jaw right before the sudden fury of the storm hit with full force and obliterated his face completely from her sight.

  “Shit!” They both exclaimed it at once.

  Tossing the silicone gun over the edge of the roof, Maddy swung around and bent down, her foot searching for the first rung of the ladder. Within seconds she was over and climbing down, her hands gripping the rungs as she descended.

  She nearly shrieked when a big hand clamped around her ankle. Even as she froze, undecided whether to kick out and knock the threatening giant to the ground, or climb back up, there was a movement beneath her and then suddenly something large and hard was pressed against her bottom and lower back. Big hands clamped on the rung either side of her smaller hands, and the deep voice of the giant yelled above the pounding rain, “Keep coming down, but slowly. I’m right behind you.”

  As if she couldn’t know that, with the heat of his body seeming to almost burn a hole through her soaked blouse and chilled flesh.

  “You won’t fall.” Amazingly, the deep tones went from angry to reassuring. “I’ve got you.”

  If she fell, she had no doubt that giant or not, her overly-voluptuous body would do him some damage. Maybe that would be a good thing.

  “Just one step at a time, lady.” Even shouted above the storm, that reassuring voice reverberated through her bottom, and a large hand shifted to briefly pat her back comfortingly before once again coming to grip firmly beside her own hand. “Let’s go. We need to get you safely down and inside out of this rain.”

  Safe? This behemoth was talking safe? For all she knew, he could be a serial killer and she was his next victim. After all, she thought a little hysterically, he probably didn’t want to catch his death of cold before doing her in!

  A boom sounded in the distance, a flicker shot through the sky not far off, and Maddy knew that things had turned a little more dangerous. Thunder, lightening, rain, and step ladders combined were not good news.

  With no other option than to either go up and risk lightening strike or a broken neck from falling off a wet roof, or scuttling down and into the relative safety of her home, she chose the latter. Things had taken a turn for the worse, and probably in more ways than one.

  The big body behind her didn’t allow her to hurry, but his presence was rock solid. He matched her step for step, his hands unerringly landing on each rung beside hers. When she tried to hurry and her foot slipped off a rung, he pressed against her, pushing her into the safety of the ladder and holding her there while she regained her footing.

  “Nice and steady.” He waited a couple of seconds, before yelling, “Okay?”

  She nodded, then realising he might not be able to see her clearly, Maddy yelled back, “Fine!”

  They continued downwards and within no time she felt the ground solid beneath her foot. Before she could say or do anything, a brawny arm wrapped around her shoulders and tugged her into the side of the man, and without effort he was running her around the garage and under the shelter of the veranda. He didn’t stop, but took her right up to the front steps, practically carrying her up as he took the steps in one big, easy stride - and boy, did that take her breath away - and then he was depositing her at the front door.

  Blinking the rain from her eyes and pushing the wet strands of her hair from her face, Maddy looked up at him - ye gods, the man was a veritable giant - and was immediately struck by his eyes. Now that they were close, she could see the startling colour was a pale blue. And those pale blue eyes were starting again to flare with anger.

  “Where’s your husband or boyfriend, lady?” His deep voice was audible even above the rain pounding on the veranda roof.

  Oh, like she was going to let him know she was all alone. Not happening. “Why do you want to know?” Taking a step back, she mentally judged the distance to the door, but that was a no-go zone with him standing right in front of it.

  “Because he shouldn’t have let you get up on that roof.” Reaching out, he rapped sharply on the door.

  “He’s sleeping,” she said hurriedly.

  “Then he needs to wake up and see
that you’re doing his job.” The man rapped harder on the door. When there was no answer, he looked down at her consideringly.

  Maddy met his gaze steadily.

  “There’s no one home.” He stated it with complete assuredness. “Lady, I think you’re lying to me.”

  Folding her arms across her chest, Maddy arched one brow at him. “Think what you like, but it’s none of your business. Now get off my property before I call the cops.” She reached back as though to fish a non-existent mobile phone from her back pocket.

  An unexpected hint of amusement appeared in his eyes. “There’s no mobile in your pocket or I’d have felt it already.”

  There was no way she could stop the faint blush from warming her cheeks at the memory of that hard body pressed against her back. It was undeniable, the closeness of their contact would have made him well aware if she’d carried anything in her back pockets.

  But it didn’t matter, she was interested in only one thing. His presence leaving. She arched one brow coolly. “Get off my property or I’m calling the police.”

  He was unperturbed. “The police are already here.”

  A glance around disproved that statement. There was no cop car, and no cop for that matter, anywhere near her yard, or what she could see of it through the pouring rain. Maddy glared up at him. “I mean it.”

  “Lady, I am a cop.”

  That blew the wind right out of her indignant sail. “Pardon?”

  “I am a cop.”

  Maddy looked him up and down. “You?”

  “Yep.” He angled his head to study her face. “I’m also your neighbour.”

  That sinking feeling started. “You live in the other half of this duplex?”

  He nodded.

  Great, just great. This Neanderthal was her neighbour. “So what the hell do you think you’re doing yelling orders at me?”

  All hint of amusement vanished. “What the hell were you doing up on the roof in this weather?”