Teaching Trust by Brittany Cournoyer

Sebastian ~

I screwed up and ruined a perfectly good relationship with my ex, Anthony. But my epic screw-up helped him find the happiness he deserved, and that left me truly alone. So my life became the gym I own, and doing the drive-of-shame home after my countless hook-ups. I cut out trying to have any type of relationship, because my heart just wasn’t in it. That is until Tyler walks into my gym, and I can’t get those sad, brown eyes out of my mind. Little do I know, the man who shot me down twice is going to become my best friend.

Tyler ~

Middlebury was supposed to be a fresh start for me. A place where I could begin a new life, a life away from… him. It was to be my breath of fresh air. But it’s hard to breathe when I’m constantly looking over my shoulder. When my personal trainer leaves town for family issues, Sebastian, the man who tried to buy me a drink twice, is the one I’m stuck with training me. Soon, he becomes a whole lot more, but as much as I want to, I’m scared to let my guard down… and let him in.

Sebastian and Tyler each have their own internal battles. But when an unlikely friendship forms out of one personal training session, it’s a different kind of battle they’re forced to face. Instead of hiding their own secrets and lies, they have to decide whether to trust each other and let their friendship blossom into something more. Can they learn to trust each other enough to stop fighting the attraction? Or will their own trust issues stand in the way?

Trigger Warning: While this book is intended for adults—with adult situations—one of the main character’s backstory includes an abusive relationship.