Chapter 26

He decided not to worry about it. If the time came when it became apparent Noel was looking for more, he would gently tell him that he was honored, but that he didn’t feel the same. Not quite the truth and he knew it. If he were a different man, then perhaps he’d be the one to make the first move and see what happened. Too often he’d wished things were otherwise. He longed to find someone he could love, who loved him in return, but he never allowed it to happen. He kept a tight rein on his emotions—and his heart.

It was late afternoon by the time Jax felt he had completed what he had set out to do. Picking up the atlas, he studied it to make certain there were no faults in the cover, no matter how miniscule. Satisfied, he cleaned up his work area before taking the atlas with him to show Donovan. He found him in the living room, dressed for dinner.