PROTECTING WHAT’S HIS (Line of Duty #1) by TESSA BAILEY

“She’s running from the law, and the law wants her bad”.

I loved this book! Once I started I could not put it down!

Ginger Peet and her sister Willa leave Nashville in a rush after fleeing from their drug addicted poor excuse for a mother, but not before taking a large sum of money which Ginger found sitting enticingly in her mother’s purse.  That sort of money could give Ginger and Willa a new life, a new start away from the downtrodden life they currently live.

It’s all systems go as when they and their trusty Dolly Parton statue arrive in Chicago.

Whilst moving in, they cause a bit of a ruckus and capture the attention of Derek Tyler who lives in the apartment complex.  I have to say off the bat that the banter between the two sisters when they were on the sidewalk had me in fits.  I was giggling out loud because the author wrote these exchanges in such a way I felt like I was actually there laughing along with them.  It was so funny  and I absolutely adored Ginger and Willa.

Ginger was funny, tenacious and possessed that sensual quality with a touch of innocence and vulnerability but could certainly give as good as she got.  She was loyal protective, and had long given up the hope of finding love after being emotionally scarred after a life with her wayward mother.  Ginger’s mother had gone through a string of casual acquaintances, whom she took in as a means of getting anything she could out of them.  Gingers way of dealing with her problems was to deflect and ignore, hoping problems would go away.

She loves her sister Willa  and is fiercely protective of her.  Willa (Wip) was such a cocky character and I loved her smart mouth.

Ginger is prepared to sacrifice her own happiness to ensure Willa has the opportunities Ginger was not afforded and Ginger has managed to put up emotional walls and no one is getting through them, until………………..

Helloooo Leitenant Derek Tyler! I don’t know about Ginger, but holy smokes, this hot possessive, domineering, protective, intense and very naughty alpha cop Derek did it for me!  I was in lust with him from the get go…..he had me at “surely”.

I’ll admit it…..I love a dirty talker and this man does NOT mince his words, whoa boy, he has a knicker dropping mouth on him and I was swooning!

“Let me be clear, Ginger, since you insist on talking in circles.  I want you underneath me in my bed.  I want to be buried inside you so deep I have to remind you of your own name”

Let’s not forget the hotness factor…………As Ginger describes him……“he had the kind of body that looked capable of inflicting pain and pleasure equally”….fanning self here!

As far as Derek’s concerned, possession is nine tenths of the law and he sure does want to possess Ginger….ALL of her! But Ginger is bent on denying her attraction to him.  After all, he’s a cop who could cause no end of problems for her, especially as she is in the possession of stolen funds!

But alpha Derek can’t be swayed. He wants her. End of! Serve and protect is his motto and he certainly wants to be there for Ginger.

“Are you looking for something illegal so you’ll have an excuse to handcuff me, Derek?”.
“Baby, I don’t need an excuse to cuff you.  I just need the opportunity”

I loved this book.  It was steamy, funny, with just enough drama to keep me entertained.  Loaded with engaging characters like sexy alpha Derek, witty, sexy Ginger and ballsy Willa, you can’t go wrong with this book.  It was an entertaining read and I loved every minute I spent with them.  Ummmm did I mention Derek and his naughty mouth?

“I’m going to make love to you. Slowly. Hell, it might take me until tomorrow. I’m going to lose count of how many times you come. And every time you do, I’m going to tell you that I love you. Until you fucking get used to it.”

GULP!  I’ll be looking forward to reading more from this author!