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!
Published on
September 23, 2023 07:05
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Tags:
fantasy-of-manners, fiorenzo, gay-romance, historical-fantasy, mannerpunk, mlm-romance, mm-romance, queer-romance, romantasy, saturday-snippet, sneak-peek