Firefighter Patrick Hightower will take any risk in the line of duty. But risking his heart again? That's something he's vowed never to do. He prefers scorching affairsthe briefer, the betterthough he might make a temporary exception for smart, sexy teacher Aisha Miller. Only Aisha isn't interested in exploring their instant, searing connectionno matter how much she feels the heat.Aisha has had enough of dominant men trying to control her life, and the gorgeous firefighter who visits her kindergarten class is alpha male through and through. Yet the gentler side Patrick shows, especially around her young son, gradually melts her reserve. As shadows from Aisha's past resurface, she'll discover just how far Patrick will go to prove she's found her reallife hero.