It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets! The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ+
This week's first kiss snippet is Faelen and Maxen from The Merchant's Love. I've often called this book my warm hug in book form because that's what it feels like to me. Faelen is a demisexual, bookish royal cousin, and Maxen is the bisexual commoner merchant who becomes completely (and awkwardly) besotted with them. Surrounded by meddling family (some helpful, some very much not), they fall in love over books and baked goods...and deal with a bit of magic gone wrong. This week's snippet is much longer than it should be—I'm sorry! I just thought this kiss needed the set up, but feel free not to read the extra!
Faelen just looked at him for a couple of moments and then took a breath. “I want to kiss you.”
Maxen froze. He wasn’t even sure he breathed for a moment. Had he heard what he thought he had? Had Faelen said...? He stared at Faelen, who looked as surprised as Maxen felt and just a bit dismayed. That was enough to help Maxen shake off his paralysis. “Faelen?”
“I probably shouldn’t have said that.”
“But you meant it?”
“Yes.” It was a breath of sound, which became stronger. “Yes.”
Maxen watched him for another moment. “Then you should do it.”
Faelen drew in a sharp breath. “Maxen?”
“If you want to, you should kiss me.”
Faelen was utterly still as they stood in silence. Then he moved, slowly coming closer to Maxen. He reached out almost carefully and rested his hands on Maxen’s shoulders lightly and then more firmly. His hesitance did something to Maxen, a swirl of emotions he couldn’t quite put name to, except for the sudden need to protect, but he stayed still, letting Faelen do as he would. Finally, Faelen stretched up and brushed his lips lightly over Maxen’s.
It was barely a kiss, but it was devastating nonetheless—and not just, it seemed, for Maxen. Faelen blinked up at him owlishly and bit his lip, a flush staining his ivory cheeks.
“Fae.” Maxen cupped Faelen’s cheek in his hand. “Are you all right?”
Maxen froze. He wasn’t even sure he breathed for a moment. Had he heard what he thought he had? Had Faelen said...? He stared at Faelen, who looked as surprised as Maxen felt and just a bit dismayed. That was enough to help Maxen shake off his paralysis. “Faelen?”
“I probably shouldn’t have said that.”
“But you meant it?”
“Yes.” It was a breath of sound, which became stronger. “Yes.”
Maxen watched him for another moment. “Then you should do it.”
Faelen drew in a sharp breath. “Maxen?”
“If you want to, you should kiss me.”
Faelen was utterly still as they stood in silence. Then he moved, slowly coming closer to Maxen. He reached out almost carefully and rested his hands on Maxen’s shoulders lightly and then more firmly. His hesitance did something to Maxen, a swirl of emotions he couldn’t quite put name to, except for the sudden need to protect, but he stayed still, letting Faelen do as he would. Finally, Faelen stretched up and brushed his lips lightly over Maxen’s.
It was barely a kiss, but it was devastating nonetheless—and not just, it seemed, for Maxen. Faelen blinked up at him owlishly and bit his lip, a flush staining his ivory cheeks.
“Fae.” Maxen cupped Faelen’s cheek in his hand. “Are you all right?”
You can find out more about The Merchant's Love here. Thanks for reading today, and I hope you're all staying safe and well.
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