To some who know him, Jax -- under the name Jackson Martin -- is a reputable restorer of antiquarian books. To others, in various guises, he's a man who double-crosses thieves, relieving them of what wasn't theirs to begin with ... although he doesn't return the stolen goods to their original owners. That isn't his thing.<br><br>When he's hired by Donovan, a book collector, to restore a damaged atlas, Jax meets the young man who runs Donovan's side interest, a no-kill animal shelter. Noel is wary of Jackson for reasons he can't explain. It doesn't stop him from finding Jax interesting ... an interest Jax returns despite knowing it will go nowhere.<br><br>Then Keegan, Jax's mortal enemy, appears bent on killing him. Will Jax be able to stop him before that happens? And will what he and Noel learn about each other end their budding relationship before it can become something more?

A Man of Many Parts

“I’ll take him.” Jax got the leash from the hook by the door. “You can make coffee while we’re gone.”


“Like we need more coffee, but okay.”


Noel had the feeling Jax’s offer was his way of giving them a few minutes apart to think about what might, or might not, happen when he got back.


Are we going to end up in bed? Do I want us to? Is it too soon? Last time we planned on doing it, it was supposed to be tension release because of what was happening and nothing more. We both knew that he didn’t plan on staying, no matter how we felt about each other. Hell, I’m not sure either of us had a clue if our attraction was anything more than physical to begin with. But now? If it is more, it’s going to be damned hard to have a relationship when he won’t be around all that much.


Chapter 42