Page 1 of Too Hot

Chapter One

Brianna Copeland clapped her hands to get her students’ attention. “All right, everyone. Our special guests will be here shortly, so put away your books, and take your places at your tables.”

Her second-grade students scrambled up from the floor where they’d been reading and put their books away in the bins in the back of the classroom. Slowly, they took their seats at their tables. She smiled at them before glancing out the window.

A police car had pulled up a moment ago, and now a fire truck joined the cruiser. Her students were so excited to hear from a real police officer and firefighter today. There was one fire truck, but three firefighters exited. Her gaze was captured by the one who climbed out of the back.

Oh my goodness. His dark blue shirt stretched over broad shoulders and was tucked into blue slacks. Her gaze continued down until she came to a pair of black boots. Heat filled her body. She forced her gaze away from his feet in time to see muscular arms flex as he shut the fire truck door.

He turned his head, and Brianna started to look away so he wouldn’t catch her watching. But she noticed he was calling out to the police officer who’d exited his vehicle. What were their names? Oh, yeah, Officer Wolfe and Firefighters Lyons, Michaels, and Peters. It was Lyons who held her attention, having met the other two firefighters before.

Wolfe and Lyons. What a combination. Two predators in the wild. She continued to watch as he shook hands with Officer Wolfe. For a moment, she let her mind wonder how it would feel to have those masculine hands on her body?

Brianna shook her head. What was wrong with her? She wasn’t one to ogle men. That didn’t stop her from watching until the two men disappeared from her sight.

“Miss Brianna,” one of her students called.

She turned away from the window to see all her students at their tables. “Yes, Penny.”

“How long before the firemen and policeman get here?” Penny wiggled in her seat.

“Shortly.” She moved away from the window and smiled at her students. “Remember, while the terms Penny used are correct, there are women in those professions also. If possible, use firefighter and police officer.”

“Yes, Miss Brianna,” the kids chorused.

“I’m going to be a firefighter,” Winter said.

“Me, I’m going to be a cop,” Cooper commented.

“You can be anything you want,” Brianna said.

More voices joined in on what they wanted to be when they grew up, and Brianna shook her head. They’d change their minds over the course of their lives, just as she had. Movement at the classroom door had her shifting.

“I believe they’re here,” she said as the door opened to reveal the principal.

* * * *

“Hey, Rafe.”

Rafe Lyons turned. “Logan.” He walked over and held out his hand. “How are you doing? Feeling better?” Logan had been shot several months ago. Luckily, it had been a leg wound. Serious, but not fatal.

“Right as rain. Having Ellie as a nursemaid did great things. I see your captain roped you into presenting at the school.”

“Yeah, probably because I do double duty.” The Pleasant Valley Fire Department wasn’t big enough to require a full-time arson investigator, so he was a firefighter first, then an investigator.

“I get that. My boss offered to have others from the department come, but since it’s second graders, he wanted to keep it basic.”

Rafe laughed. “Basic? After what you went through in the last few months, I wouldn’t call that basic.” They walked toward the entrance. Out of the corner of his eye, Rafe saw a young woman standing at a window. Probably the teacher, but she looked too young. He sighed. He was only thirty-five but felt older than that.

“I heard about the fire over on twentieth street. Anyone hurt?” Logan asked.

“No.” Rafe ran his hand through his hair. “It’s the third fire in a week.”

“Arson?”

“Not sure. There are no obvious clues.” At the entrance, Rafe pushed the button, and within a minute, an older woman rushed to the door and pushed it open. “Welcome, gentleman. I’m Principal Meyers.”

“Principal Meyers.” Rafe inclined his head and held the door open for Logan. The other two firefighters stayed with the truck to prepare for the kids. He disliked how schools had to be so locked up to keep the kids safe. Kids should be free to play. But that was the world they lived in.

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