Sebastian Nothwell's Blog - Posts Tagged "sneak-peek"
Saturday Snippet, 9.9.23
Please enjoy this sneak peek of Fiorenzo, a queer fantasy-of-manners romance featuring secret identities, hurt/comfort, and a happily-ever-after. Coming out September 30th - preorder today!
~
Enzo spent the entire encounter yearning to kiss him.
From the moment of their unexpected reunion outside the opera house; to hearing his name for the first time, Fiore, and what a curious coincidence that was, and how delightfully it danced on Enzo’s tongue; to the suggestion of a bathhouse, to which Enzo could of course never acquiesce but nonetheless appreciated, the thought of Fiore’s bare skin glowing beneath the sheen of steam and sweat; to the intoxicating sensation of Fiore’s arm twined through his to lead him, ever so gently, to the coffeehouse; to watch that magnificent masculine gem pulse with every swallow of his slender swanlike throat, and how his shirt collar slid towards his shoulder as he gestured, revealing the delicate curve of his clavicle; and to discover through their conversation that they held more in common than mere lust—not that Enzo objected to satisfying lust, but for one who’d left all his friends behind at university, he had great appreciation for a deeper connexion.
And yet despite their growing bond, the bauta mask still stood between them.
The true beauty of the bauta’s design, in Enzo’s opinion, was its practicality. It hid the wearer’s identity from view altogether, while the broad beak allowed one to eat, drink, and speak freely. He’d worn it daily for almost a year now, ever since Lucrezia had withdrawn him from university, and found it perfectly comfortable. Reassuring, even, to know he’d not be judged by his appearance.
Today, however, he had discovered its singular flaw.
One might eat, drink, and speak beneath the bauta mask—but one could not kiss.
Enzo felt as if it would drive him mad.
~
~
Enzo spent the entire encounter yearning to kiss him.
From the moment of their unexpected reunion outside the opera house; to hearing his name for the first time, Fiore, and what a curious coincidence that was, and how delightfully it danced on Enzo’s tongue; to the suggestion of a bathhouse, to which Enzo could of course never acquiesce but nonetheless appreciated, the thought of Fiore’s bare skin glowing beneath the sheen of steam and sweat; to the intoxicating sensation of Fiore’s arm twined through his to lead him, ever so gently, to the coffeehouse; to watch that magnificent masculine gem pulse with every swallow of his slender swanlike throat, and how his shirt collar slid towards his shoulder as he gestured, revealing the delicate curve of his clavicle; and to discover through their conversation that they held more in common than mere lust—not that Enzo objected to satisfying lust, but for one who’d left all his friends behind at university, he had great appreciation for a deeper connexion.
And yet despite their growing bond, the bauta mask still stood between them.
The true beauty of the bauta’s design, in Enzo’s opinion, was its practicality. It hid the wearer’s identity from view altogether, while the broad beak allowed one to eat, drink, and speak freely. He’d worn it daily for almost a year now, ever since Lucrezia had withdrawn him from university, and found it perfectly comfortable. Reassuring, even, to know he’d not be judged by his appearance.
Today, however, he had discovered its singular flaw.
One might eat, drink, and speak beneath the bauta mask—but one could not kiss.
Enzo felt as if it would drive him mad.
~
Saturday Snippet, 9.16.23
“What do you intend to do,” Enzo asked, “when you find your elderly patron?”
Fiore had never received that sort of enquiry in afterglow before. It felt rather like Enzo had tipped him out of bed and into the canal. Nevertheless he had a ready answer. “Make him happy ‘til the end of his days.”
“And after that?”
Fiore shrugged.
“You must have given some thought to what you would do with your share of the gentleman’s fortune,” Enzo said with a smile. “Would you become a man of leisure? How would you fill your days—drawing? Music?”
“You’re a man of leisure,” Fiore retorted. “How do you fill your days?”
“With you.”
Fiore paused. “I can’t very well follow in your footsteps then, lest I become full of myself.”
Enzo laughed. “Very true. Would you return to your trade? Set up your own house?”
“I like my trade well enough,” Fiore admitted. A thought struck him. “Would you wish for me to return to it?”
Enzo’s smile shifted into something more wistful. “It would rather give me something to look forward to.”
Fiore ignored the pang provoked by that smile. “You’ll have moved on by then.”
Enzo did not look as though he agreed with him but knew better than to argue. “If you don’t return to your trade after your patron’s demise… might I try my suit again regardless?”
“You’ll have moved on by then,” Fiore repeated, though he believed it less with every passing moment. Particularly as Enzo gazed down at him with those fond and gentle eyes.
And as he realized that he might not have moved on by then, either.
~
Fiorenzo is a queer fantasy-of-manners romance featuring secret identities, hurt/comfort, and a happily-ever-after. Coming out September 30th – preorder today!
~
Fiore has a plan. Find a wealthy elderly gentleman, delight him until the end of his days, and retire on the resulting inheritance. It’s the best outcome a low-born courtesan in the city of Halcyon can hope for.
And it seems a perfect scheme… until a mysterious masked man upends it.
Banished from university after a disastrous duel, Enzo wanders the city searching for scraps of the affection he’s lost. His public mask conceals private agonies. A single night in the company of a courtesan, however, balms his wounded heart, and he finds himself returning again and again to Fiore, revealing more of himself than he’s ever dared before.
Furthermore, and more astonishing still, Fiore finds he returns Enzo’s affections.
But while Fiore wears no mask, he nonetheless has secrets of his own. And when the ghosts of their pasts return to haunt them, only the bond of trust between them will carry them through.
Fiore had never received that sort of enquiry in afterglow before. It felt rather like Enzo had tipped him out of bed and into the canal. Nevertheless he had a ready answer. “Make him happy ‘til the end of his days.”
“And after that?”
Fiore shrugged.
“You must have given some thought to what you would do with your share of the gentleman’s fortune,” Enzo said with a smile. “Would you become a man of leisure? How would you fill your days—drawing? Music?”
“You’re a man of leisure,” Fiore retorted. “How do you fill your days?”
“With you.”
Fiore paused. “I can’t very well follow in your footsteps then, lest I become full of myself.”
Enzo laughed. “Very true. Would you return to your trade? Set up your own house?”
“I like my trade well enough,” Fiore admitted. A thought struck him. “Would you wish for me to return to it?”
Enzo’s smile shifted into something more wistful. “It would rather give me something to look forward to.”
Fiore ignored the pang provoked by that smile. “You’ll have moved on by then.”
Enzo did not look as though he agreed with him but knew better than to argue. “If you don’t return to your trade after your patron’s demise… might I try my suit again regardless?”
“You’ll have moved on by then,” Fiore repeated, though he believed it less with every passing moment. Particularly as Enzo gazed down at him with those fond and gentle eyes.
And as he realized that he might not have moved on by then, either.
~
Fiorenzo is a queer fantasy-of-manners romance featuring secret identities, hurt/comfort, and a happily-ever-after. Coming out September 30th – preorder today!
~
Fiore has a plan. Find a wealthy elderly gentleman, delight him until the end of his days, and retire on the resulting inheritance. It’s the best outcome a low-born courtesan in the city of Halcyon can hope for.
And it seems a perfect scheme… until a mysterious masked man upends it.
Banished from university after a disastrous duel, Enzo wanders the city searching for scraps of the affection he’s lost. His public mask conceals private agonies. A single night in the company of a courtesan, however, balms his wounded heart, and he finds himself returning again and again to Fiore, revealing more of himself than he’s ever dared before.
Furthermore, and more astonishing still, Fiore finds he returns Enzo’s affections.
But while Fiore wears no mask, he nonetheless has secrets of his own. And when the ghosts of their pasts return to haunt them, only the bond of trust between them will carry them through.
Saturday Snippet, 9.23.23
The music resumed. Fiore took a tentative step, balancing on the balls of his feet as Enzo had instructed. He did not fall.
Again Enzo retreated. Again Fiore advanced. But as he swept in to fill the lack, only for Enzo to withdraw, Fiore realized it was no such thing. Enzo did not flee from him. Rather, Enzo made way for him, inviting him to occupy the space he once held but a moment ago, continually welcoming him into his arms as he’d so oft welcomed him into his body, showing Fiore over and over how eager he felt to draw him into his life. And he drew very near indeed—near enough to feel the warmth of Enzo’s heaving chest; near enough for their stockinged calves to brush against each other as they tangled and untangled like they had so oft before amidst the bed-clothes; near enough to behold the smiling gleam in his tender gaze beneath the bauta mask. They twirled across the deck in the tentative embrace demanded by the dance. The music seemed to bear them up and swirl them ‘round in its irresistible current.
Only when the song ended did Fiore recall they had an audience.
~
Fiorenzo is a queer fantasy-of-manners romance featuring secret identities, hurt/comfort, and a happily-ever-after. Coming out September 30th – preorder today!
Again Enzo retreated. Again Fiore advanced. But as he swept in to fill the lack, only for Enzo to withdraw, Fiore realized it was no such thing. Enzo did not flee from him. Rather, Enzo made way for him, inviting him to occupy the space he once held but a moment ago, continually welcoming him into his arms as he’d so oft welcomed him into his body, showing Fiore over and over how eager he felt to draw him into his life. And he drew very near indeed—near enough to feel the warmth of Enzo’s heaving chest; near enough for their stockinged calves to brush against each other as they tangled and untangled like they had so oft before amidst the bed-clothes; near enough to behold the smiling gleam in his tender gaze beneath the bauta mask. They twirled across the deck in the tentative embrace demanded by the dance. The music seemed to bear them up and swirl them ‘round in its irresistible current.
Only when the song ended did Fiore recall they had an audience.
~
Fiorenzo is a queer fantasy-of-manners romance featuring secret identities, hurt/comfort, and a happily-ever-after. Coming out September 30th – preorder today!
