Mr. Cop: An Enemies to Lovers Romance Read online

  Mr. Cop

  An Enemies to Lovers Romance

  Piper Sullivan

  Copyright © 2019 by Piper Sullivan

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

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  Also by Piper Sullivan

  Mr. Cop: An Enemies to Lovers Romance

  Mr. Savior: A Roommate Hero Romance

  Accidentally Hitched: An Accidental Marriage Romance

  Accidentally Wed: An Accidental Marriage Romance

  Accidentally Bound: An Accidental Marriage Romance

  Accidentally Wifed: An Accidental Marriage Romance

  His Takeover: An Enemies to Lovers Romance (Boardroom Games Book 1)

  Sinful Takeover: An Enemies to Lovers Romance (Boardroom Games Book 2)

  Naughty Takeover: An Enemies to Lovers Romance (Boardroom Games 3)

  Cowboy's Fake Fiancée: A Single Dad & A Virgin Romance

  Cowboy's Barmaid: A Small Town Military Romance

  Let's Pretend : A Fake Fiancée Romance

  I’ll Pretend : A Fake Fiancée Romance

  Boxsets & Collections

  Kiss Me, Love Me: An Alpha Male Romance Boxset

  Accidentally On Purpose:An Accidental Marriage Boxset

  Nanny Down Under: A Single Dad & Nanny Box Set

  The Takeover Boxset:An Enemies to Lovers Complete Series

  It's Only Pretend: A Single Dad Boxset

  Contents

  1. Antonio

  2. Elka

  3. Antonio

  4. Elka

  5. Antonio

  6. Elka

  7. Antonio

  8. Elka

  9. Antonio

  10. Elka

  11. Antonio

  12. Elka

  13. Antonio

  14. Elka

  15. Antonio

  16. Elka

  17. Antonio

  18. Elka

  19. Antonio

  20. Elka

  21. Antonio

  22. Elka

  23. Antonio

  24. Elka

  25. Antonio

  26. Elka

  27. Antonio

  28. Elka

  Preview: Mr. Savior

  1. Nina

  2. Preston

  About the Author

  Also by Piper Sullivan

  Antonio

  Looking around at the happy couples had my feet itching to get the hell away from them. From their happiness and big smiles, but most of all, from their desire to see everyone as happily matched as them. Ry had just asked Penny to be his wife and she’d agreed with all the excitement the whole town expected, and Ry looked as if he’d just won the mega lottery. They both looked happy and I was happy for them.

  From a distance.

  Thankfully my phone rang before I did something rude, like run out of the backyard while everyone else inched forward to offer congratulations and coo over Penny’s ring. “Vargas.”

  “Antonio, we’ve got a stranded motorist by the new Welcome to Tulip sign and its your turn to answer.” Sherriff Tyson Henderson was a good, firm boss and he happened to be one of my closest friends.

  “I’m on my way,” I told him with more gratitude than I intended.

  Ty laughed down the line. “Since when are you in a hurry to rush away from a barbecue?”

  It was no secret how much I loved to eat, and when it was meat slathered in barbecue sauce, even better. But not this one. “Since Ry just proposed to Penny and now all the old ladies are looking for their next unsuspecting victim.”

  Ty groaned like I knew he would because he was even more anti-commitment than I was; no one had seen him with a woman in years. Like me, he ventured outside of Tulip when he was in need of female attention. “Glad that a sherriff’s work is never done.”

  “Neither is his deputy’s.” I grinned and made my way to the happy couple. “Headed out now, Ty.”

  “Copy that.”

  The call ended and I sidestepped Ry’s mother, Betty. “Antonio.” She grinned. “You’re still single, aren’t you?” I wasn’t fooled for one second by that gleam in her eye.

  “Aw, Miss Betty, are you flirting with me?” I gave her my slow smile—the one that’s been known to make women of all ages forget their names—and laughed as she blushed.

  “I’ll let it slide for now, young man.” With a wink, she walked away, and I suddenly felt like I’d waved a flag in front of an angry bull.

  Ry laughed and accepted my handshake. “Don’t worry about Ma. She’s determined that she and Helen Landon will match more couples than the Bell sisters.”

  That thought made my blood run cold. The Bell sisters were the biggest gossips and meddlers in all of Tulip, giving Betty and Helen a run for their money. Being double teamed by either set of women was enough to make me want to book a long vacation far, far away. “I’ll keep that in mind, but I just came to say congrats to you both.”

  Penny turned and offered me a kind smile, her green eyes beaming happiness. “Thank you, Deputy Vargas.”

  “You can call me Antonio, but not now. There’s a stranded motorist I have to tend to, so have a beer for me.”

  I took a couple steps back, keeping an eye out for matchmakers as I made my way out of Ry’s backyard and out onto the street. Tulip was a small town and most people had just walked over, so navigating my cruiser out of the neighborhood took no time at all.

  Every day I drove the streets of Tulip, through the family neighborhoods and the big sprawling ranches on the edge of town, and it confirmed that coming back home had been the right choice. The years I spent in New Orleans had turned me into a top-notch investigator and I was happy to use those skills to keep the people of my hometown safe from the bad shit life doled out on a regular basis.

  It wasn’t pretty, but doing my job meant that most of the people in Tulip would never know when danger moved in a little too close. Outsiders were easy to spot and even easier to keep an eye on, and I knew better than most just how crucial that was for effective law enforcement. I knew more than I ever fucking wanted to about that subject.

  I spotted the dark green hatchback on the opposite side of the road and made an emergency U-turn in order to get to the motorist. A small trailer was hooked the little car. A giant multi-colored daisy decorated the door. I parked behind it and stepped out, releasing the snap on my holster just in case it was needed. Traffic stops were the most dangerous for deputies, thanks to cars whizzing by at high speeds and terrified drivers with outstanding warrants. I approached slowly with my hand at my side. Ready for anything.

  “Son of a … damn!” The voice was soft and feminine, a husky but melodic sound that made me wonder who this newcomer was.

  Rounding the trailer, I was met with a pair of shapely legs dangling from the hatchback. Miles of blue-green fabric hung off her body, skimming her legs and falling between them. “Ma’am, you need some help?”

  The woman screamed and her legs froze, then kicked the air aimlessly before finding flat ground and taking a big leap backwards, a giant sparking purple rock in her hand. “Why the hell are you sneaking up on an unsuspecting woman, mister?” Her chest heaved and I tried not to look at the way those creamy mounds of flesh heaved.

  It was useless until I remembered the rock. “Unsuspecting? Sweetheart, you’re stuck on the side of the road. Did it eve
r occur to you that I might be a good Samaritan trying to help?”

  She was a cute pixie of a woman with long strawberry-blond hair that reached at least to her elbows, and almond-shaped navy-blue eyes that reminded me of midnight. Her features were delicate, almost fairy-like, or maybe that was the long flowing dress that fell to the ground.

  I could tell by her expression that it hadn’t occurred to her that I was just trying to help. “Oh. Right. Well, I’m fine but thanks for stopping. That was very kind of you.” She glanced behind me and took another step back. My suspicion grew.

  “What’s your name?” The question came out a little rougher than I intended, but if this woman thought she could come to Tulip and kick up trouble, she’d better think again.

  She frowned and took another step back. “What business is it of yours?” Her arms were crossed, drawing even more attention to tits that didn’t seem to want to stay inside the dress. They were too big for her petite frame and the dress highlighted that fact to a tee.

  With a heavy sigh, I pulled my badge out and showed it to her. “It’s literally my business. So who are you?”

  Her shoulders relaxed a fraction but not much. “Then maybe you should have identified yourself first, officer.” She took a step closer and held her hand out.

  “I’m not giving you my badge, lady.”

  “And I’m not giving you my name. For all I know, that’s a phony badge and you’re some sort of highway rapist. I haven’t done anything wrong so if you can’t prove you are an officer of the law, we’re done here.” If the damn woman wasn’t so frustrating, I might have been amused.

  But I wasn’t. Especially because she was right. “Officer Vargas. Antonio Vargas.” I held up the badge so she could see it clearly even though she refused to take a step closer.

  “The name is Elka. Thanks for stopping but I’ll be fine.”

  Alarm bells always went off when someone was a little too eager to get rid of me. Elka was a little too jumpy. “What’s the problem here?” I drew closer to the car to see if she had any other passengers or suspicious cargo that might give me a reason to search her.

  “There is no problem, as I said. I’m fine.” She stepped back again only this time she didn’t realize her foot stepped over the solid white line that separated the shoulder from the road. She yelped when I yanked her back.

  “Careful,” I growled, ignoring the way all those soft feminine curves felt pressed up against me. When it became too much, I took a step back.

  “Right. Thanks.” She stepped back once again, her foot just about to land on the road when I shouted at her.

  “Stop!”

  Blue eyes went wide and she took a large step to the side, avoiding touching me and making sure she was out of my reach until she was right beside the passenger door. “Right. Well thanks anyway.” Elka jumped inside her car like I was the bad guy, and tried to start her car, smacking the steering wheel when it stalled.

  My guess was it wasn’t the first time because everything about this woman screamed flighty scatterbrain who needed someone to look after her. She was completely out of her depth and that was how people got hurt, dammit. I cursed Ty for making me take this damn call—even though it had saved me from dueling matchmakers—as I made my way to the driver’s side and tapped on the window.

  She let the window down a few inches. “Yes?”

  My lips twitched at her innocent question. She was feisty. “Need some help?”

  “No thanks. I can handle it myself.” The window slid back up and I stood, stunned, as she dug through her patchwork purse until she found what she was looking for: a phone with a bright-yellow cover with sunrays darting out in all directions. She was probably calling the only mechanic in town—Rusty of Rusty’s Tow Yard. When her shoulders sank in resignation, I knew he’d told her what the rest of Tulip already knew: he was out fishing and wouldn’t be free for a while.

  In Tulip, “a while” was an acceptable measure of time but she wasn’t from here. Doing my due diligence, I tapped her window again. “Care to reconsider that offer of help?”

  One hand raked through her long silky hair and she blew out a breath. “I’ve spent my whole life waiting … what’s a few more hours?”

  That was ominous and I wanted to ask more but I already knew I wouldn’t get it from her. She might be flighty and scatterbrained but there was a spine of steel underneath.

  “I can give you a ride to town and get you to wherever you’re headed while Rusty finishes over at the lake.” It wasn’t an act of kindness so much as it was a way to keep an eye on her and maybe find out what or who had brought her to Tulip.

  “No thanks. I’ll stay right here with my stuff. And wait.” She smiled and turned away before remembering her manners. “But thank you, officer.”

  I hated the way she dismissed me, like I was nothing. I hated it even more that she said officer like it was a four-letter word, though I guess to a certain type, it was. The criminal type. “Suit yourself, lady.” I walked off before she could change her mind and before I said something I’d regret later.

  Elka was a nice reminder of why I chose the single life.

  Elka

  Just my luck. I hadn’t been in town for even ten minutes and I’d already made an enemy. It was my superpower according to my brother Austin, and it was almost comforting to see that not everything in my world had changed irrevocably. I couldn’t let it worry me. Officer Vargas had a stick shoved so far up his behind, it distracted me from the impact he had on my body. Those dark assessing eyes seemed to see far more than I wanted him, or anyone, to see. Worse, that assessing gaze seemed to find me lacking.

  It was the story of my life and why I shoved away all thoughts of his dark Mediterranean features and broad shoulders as I watched him leave. The man was beautiful, that much was sure, but like all beautiful men, he was a bit of an asshole. That didn’t stop me from appreciating long thick legs that I just knew were hard with well-used muscles or that perfectly round butt that I bet would send a quarter flying right back at me. Even the slightly crooked nose made him more appealing.

  To look at. Only to look at. I wasn’t in the market for any of that. My plan was to keep my head down and build a life for myself. One that I lived for me and no one else. Not even you, Austin.

  I tried to tell myself that he would be proud of me, breaking free from our parents and choosing to live my own life. At least once an hour on the thirty-hour drive down to Texas, I tried to tell myself this was the right decision. That leaving had been the right thing to do, the only thing to do in order to live life on my terms. It was scary as hell being so far away from home, even a home that had never really been a home to me, for the first time in my life. Sheltered and alone, most people would think it was stupid to go so far away, but most people had a place in their families.

  Most people were wanted. Loved.

  Me, I was nothing more than a tool who had outlived her usefulness. I left before they could ask me to leave. Before they could tell me what I already knew to be true: I wasn’t needed any longer, therefore I was no longer wanted.

  So of course, after all that driving and confidence building, my car would breakdown on a residential street just miles from the small cottage house I’d rented. And of course it would land me in front of the hottest cop in America with the worst attitude.

  And the nicest butt. That thought made me giggle, but when Officer Vargas’ cruiser pulled back onto the highway and left me behind, a long, frustrated sigh escaped. The older man on the phone, Rusty, had said he was fishing and that it would take “some time” before he was back in town. I didn’t know what that meant but like I told Vargas, waiting was the one thing I was good at. Hospitals and doctors specialized in making people wait and I’d spent nearly all my life waiting in lobbies, exam rooms, and on operating tables.

  Waiting I could do. I picked up the eReader I bought a few months ago and tried to read, but like they always did these days, my thoughts turned to Austin.
He’d made me promise, on his deathbed, to go out and live my life. Have the life he never got to live and never would now. He’d made me swear on our friendship that I would leave the bubble of protection and experience what the world had to offer. “Get out there and fall in love, get your heart broken, and have wild sex with a stranger. See a waterfall and enjoy a kiss in the rain. Live for us both.” Tears fell as I thought of his kind smile and those killer blue eyes that had all the nurses swooning even in his sickened state.

  One month after burying my brother, I bought the trailer and hitched it to my car filled with all my worldly possessions and headed to Texas. It was a far cry from the semi-posh life I lived with my family in Washington state, but I’d read a book about the woman who’d founded Tulip and she sounded amazing. Forging a dynamic path during a time when women were little more than property. She was strong and smart and independent, all things I aspired to be. She’d done it all and never lost sight of herself in the process.

  Maybe now that I was in Tulip, some of that would rub off on me.

  Antonio

  Paperwork was the worst part of working law enforcement because damn near every interaction with the public meant a form needed to be filled out, sometimes several. Finishing up the forms from my interaction with Elka No-last-name had taken a little longer than necessary because I couldn’t get those big blue eyes out of my mind, which frustrated me to no end. The woman was trouble with a capital T and not the good kind, not the kind a man would willingly sign up for because he knew whatever damage left in her wake would be well worth it.