Chapter One

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.

Pleasant Valley wasn’t a hot bed of shootings or anything that would threaten the kids, yet he was glad they were taking precautions.

“Ms. Copeland’s classroom is this way. The children are excited.” She bustled her way down the hall with him and Logan following.

When she stopped in front of a door, Rafe grinned. The door had been decorated for them. Fire trucks, police cars, badges, ladders, hoses, and handcuffs. Kids this age had big imaginations. He reached for the knob and held the door open for the principal.

The chattering of children reached his ears. A sharp jolt hit his heart. Would he ever have kids? Well, he’d have to find the right woman first, and there weren’t any around who interested him at the moment.

The room went silent as the principal walked in. Logan followed, and Rafe closed the door behind him as the last to enter.

“Officer Wolfe and Firefighter Lyons, this is Brianna Copeland, the teacher,” Principal Meyers said as she introduced them.

“Welcome, gentlemen.” The woman he’d seen at the window stepped forward with her hand outstretched.

Rafe’s gaze met hers as he took her hand in his. If he hadn’t been looking at her, he would have missed the slight darkening of those hazel eyes as their skin met. He didn’t want to release her hand. Logan cleared his throat. Rafe released his hold, and Brianna shook Logan’s hand.

“We’re so glad you’re here today.” Her voice was soft and soothing. This was the type of voice Rafe could see himself coming home to at night.

Whoa. He didn’t even know anything about Brianna. His libido disagreed, but Rafe reined himself in. There was time to learn about this intriguing school teacher.

“I’ll head back to my office now that you’re in good hands.” The principal left the room.

Rafe rubbed his palms on his thighs. Oh yes, she was in good hands with him. He shook the thought out of his mind. He was in a classroom full of kids.

“Would you like to stand or sit?” Brianna asked.

He kept his gaze on her flushed face. “I think standing will be fine.”

“Yes.” Logan nudged him in the side.

“Okay.” She turned away.

“What’s going on?” Logan whispered.

“Nothing.” Rafe shook his head. A bomb of attraction hit him the second her hand touched his. Unusual for him, but for the first time in a long time, he wanted to pursue it.

“Well, keep it under wraps. We are in an elementary classroom.”

Logan was right to remind him. He looked out at all the eager faces. He counted quickly. Twelve kids. A good class size.

“All right,” Brianna said to the class. “Please remember your manners. Raise your hand to ask a question and wait to be called on.” She gestured to him and Logan. “The floor is yours.” She moved to the back of the room and sat at one of the empty tables, in the child size chair. She was a tiny thing, but it still surprised him that she fit.

“Hello, kids, I’m Officer Wolfe.”

“And I’m Firefighter Lyons.”

One of the little girls burst out laughing. “You’re named after animals.”

The class laughed, and he and Logan both chuckled.

“One might think that. So how about, for today, you call us Rafe and Logan.”

The kids turned to look at their teacher, and she nodded.

“Who has a question?” Logan asked. Twelve hands shot up, and off they went.

* * * *

Brianna sat at the table, trying not to ogle the firefighter. Rafe. That was his name. She hadn’t met Logan until today but knew of him since she was friends with Ellie, his girlfriend.

She listened as the men answered the kids’ questions. They were both patient and understanding. Brianna loved that about them, but especially how Rafe would get level with the kids, looking them in the eye as he spoke.

“Miss Brianna, can we go out and look at the fire truck, please?” Cooper asked.

She glanced at the two men leaning against her desk.

“We don’t mind,” Logan said.

It was only eleven, and lunch wasn’t until twelve. “Okay.”

The kids cheered. “Line up and no running.” The kids jumped up and made a line starting at the door.

“Impressive,” Rafe said when she grabbed her keys off the desk. “Boys usually have trouble following orders.”

“You just have to know how to handle them.” Brianna almost clamped her hand over her mouth. That came out all wrong. Rafe grinned. She shook her head and opened her classroom door. Waiting until the children filed out with Rafe and Logan behind them, she closed the door, then followed them outside.

Brianna was proud of her kids. They walked calmly and quietly outside and waited until Logan and Rafe led them to the vehicles. She hung back, allowing the kids to enjoy themselves.

Almost an hour later, the kids were out of questions and had been all over both vehicles. A bell went off.

“Lunch time,” Penny yelled.

“What do you tell Officer Wolfe and Firefighter Lyons?” Brianna asked.

“Thank you.” Twelve pairs of eyes turned to her. “Go. The principal will let you back into the school.”

The kids ran for the door.

“I believe you’re friends with Ellie, my girlfriend,” Logan said as they watched the school door open, and the kids went inside.

“Yes. It’s good to finally meet you.” Brianna had met Ellie two months ago when she set up a birthday party for one of the other teachers, and they became friends. “Is your leg all healed up now?”

“It is. Is there anybody in this town who doesn’t know I got shot?”

Rafe clapped Logan on the shoulder. “No.”

There was friendship there. “Ellie told me about it. I had read in the newspaper about the shooting, but no names were mentioned.”

“I’m glad she talked about it.” Logan’s radio went off. “Excuse me.”

She was alone with Rafe. Brianna’s tummy flipped. “Thank you for being so good with the kids, Firefighter Lyons.” She didn’t know what else to say. The other two firefighters were putting the equipment away.

“Rafe. And you’re welcome. The kids are fun to be around.”

She nodded. “I should get back. I need to supervise lunch.”

“I understand.”

Brianna turned and walked back into the building, using her badge to unlock the front door. She wanted to stay and chat with Rafe, but she didn’t know what to say to him. Another part of her told her to run. Not that it mattered; she’d probably never see him again.