Thirteen

Deputy Mark Forrest and Nurse Francis Archer can't deny the chemistry that arises between them. A chance meeting awakens the idea of something greater than either had ever imagined.

Mark craves being able to let go, and Francis loves to take him out of his head. But Mark's past bears a truckload of personal demons that have kept him in the closet and made him lash out at the LGBTQ community in the town he's come to regard as home.

Despite finding love and a new purpose in Acker, Francis's new job might end up being temporary, and he doesn't want to lose the life he's settled into. Can the two of them build a future together despite a bitter past, and diverging paths?

Trigger Warning: Abusive, homophobic, and racist language, light D/s, homophobia, vague descriptions of domestic violence and sexual abuse.

This novel is the third book in the Love by Numbers series. While it can be read as a standalone, the author suggests that you start from book #1, Ten, and go from there for the best reading experience.