Evan Harris thinks his relationship with Jeremy Lewis is going well. But when Jeremy bolts, Evan is left nursing a broken heart. Jeremy loves Evan, but his inability to trust holds him back from facing his past head on and building the future he desperately wants. Evan’s patience is at the breaking point, and he struggles to decide if Jeremy deserves another chance.
Scarred by his own parents’ treatment of him, Jeremy doesn’t trust Evan’s mother’s motives when she reappears in Evan’s life after his father lands in jail. The ensuing disagreement about his concerns puts further pressure on their developing relationship.
Unless Jeremy can learn to trust and Evan can let go of past hurts, they’ll miss out on the relationship they’ve both been searching for.
Click here for a closer look at book 1 Connection
I fell in love with Evan when Russ & Stephen met him in Partners and that love only deepened when he became one half of the feature couple of the author's spin-off duology Evan and Jeremy. I will be honest and admit I had my doubts about Jeremy when he was introduced as Stephen's ex, generally exes cause strife wherever they go, but not this ex. Jeremy really begins to heal in Trust but it doesn't come easy and Evan finds it harder to let go of Jeremy and move on when the man pushes him away. I was a little on edge after reading the blurb but knew it was a story I had to read no matter how bumpy the road got and boy was there potholes all over their road. Having grown up around disability and health issues I understood both Jeremy's fears and Evan's hopeful optimism, which only helped the boys when they began to burrow their way into my heart. If you've been reading Miss Vaughn's Equals/Evan and Jeremy series then you can't miss this entry and if you haven't begun yet, well what are you waiting for? I must say that I wouldn't mind seeing minor characters Tod and Chris get their own fairytale journey, *hint, hint*.
RATING:
Jeremy leaned close, his lips almost brushing Evan’s ear. “Want to dance?”
“What? Really?” Evan turned to look at him. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah, my leg can handle a slow dance with you.” Jeremy flashed him a grin that made Evan a little weak in the knees. Evan was concerned about Jeremy’s leg, but now that he mentioned it … “C’mon, kid. Please?” Jeremy stood, held out his hand—palm up—and Evan took it, feeling a little stunned and extremely confused.
“Yeah, okay.” His stomach fluttered as he followed Jeremy toward the dance floor. Jeremy pulled him close so the front of their bodies were pressed close together. Jeremy led, and Evan didn’t mind because he’d never slow danced with anyone before. Jeremy seemed to know what he was doing though, and Evan felt a little dizzy as he looked at Jeremy’s hazel eyes. He would swear he saw something more in that gaze than he’d ever seen before. He had no idea what song was playing, or how long it played, as they moved in slow circles. His heart thumped too hard in his chest, confused and happy. Wanting more. Wanting to know what all the moments and glances and touches this weekend meant. But he couldn’t speak, especially not after Jeremy leaned in and pressed his forehead against Evan’s.
Evan closed his eyes and tried to savor every last second, afraid it was all he’d ever have of this perfect, perfect moment. When Jeremy tilted his head and pressed his lips to Evan’s, it was so right, so close to what Evan had been wanting, that he kissed Jeremy back.
But the funny, worried feeling in the pit of his stomach never quite went away, even as the kiss went from cautious, to familiar, to heated. When the music changed and they slowed to a stop, Jeremy’s lips did too, and he pressed his forehead to Evan’s again. Evan panted, struggling to understand what was happening, and he slowly pulled away. He stared at Jeremy for a long minute before he took a deep, shuddering breath, his head spinning with confusion.
“I—I’m gonna go take a walk for a minute.”
Evan fled, heading down the stairs to the beach before Jeremy could reply. He kicked off his shoes and buried his socks in them, looping his fingers in the back to carry them. He set out at a quick pace, heading closer to the waterline as he walked down the shore. The dry sand became wet, and he cursed and dropped his shoes, hastily rolling his pant cuffs and grabbing his shoes before he started out again, walking along the waterline. A wave washed over his feet, and he felt the sand erode, the water pulling the foundation out from under him. He walked until the beach club lights were small in the distance, and he stared up at the moon, which was almost—but not quite—full.
It hurt. He hurt. His heart and his brain and everything everywhere else hurt. He wanted to believe that when Jeremy held him, looked at him tenderly, it meant what he wanted it to, but what if he was wrong? Again.
What if Jeremy had been right when he said he was too fucked up for a relationship? Evan couldn’t fix Jeremy’s issues about his scars. Jeremy had to want to, and Evan wasn’t sure if he could put himself through hoping for that again. It hurt too much.
Brigham Vaughn is starting the adventure of a lifetime as a full-time writer. She devours books at an alarming rate and hasn’t let her short arms and long torso stop her from doing yoga. She makes a killer key lime pie, hates green peppers, and loves wine tasting tours. A collector of vintage Nancy Drew books and green glassware, she enjoys poking around in antique shops and refinishing thrift store furniture. An avid photographer, she dreams of traveling the world and she can’t wait to discover everything else life has to offer her.
EMAIL: brighamvaughn@gmail.com
Trust #2
Connection #1
Equals Series
Equals #1
Partners #2
Family #3
Husbands #4
