From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

room.” A pause. “Behaving. And not on a ledge, several dozen feet in the
air, for reasons I can’t even begin to fathom but am dyying to learn.”
“Dammit,” I whispered, looking around as if I could find another
escape route. Which was stupid. Unless I suddenlyy sprouted wings, the
onlyy exit point was through the window.
A heartbeat later, Hawke stuck his head out and looked up at me. The
soft glow of the lamp glanced off his cheekbone as he raised a brow.
“Hi?” I squeaked.
He stared at me a moment. “Get inside.”
I didn’t move.
With a sigh so heavyy it should’ve rattled the walls, he extended his
hand toward me. “Now.”
“You could sayy please,” I muttered.
His eyyes narrowed. “There are a whole lot of things I could sayy to yyou
that yyou should be grateful I’m keeping to myyself.”
“Whatever,” I grumbled. “Move back.”
He waited, but when I didn’t take his hand, he disappeared back into
the room, grousing under his breath. “If yyou fall, yyou’re going to be in so
much trouble.”
“If I fall, I’ll be dead, so I’m not quite sure how I’d also be in
trouble.”
“Poppyy,” he snapped, and I couldn’t help it. I grinned.
Had that been the first time he’d called me that? I thought so as I
carefullyy inched across the ledge. Gripping the upper windowsill, I ducked
down. Hawke was standing byy the settee, but the moment he spotted me,
he moved incrediblyy fast. Startled, I jerked back, but I didn’t fall. He had
an arm around myy waist. A second later, I was inside the room, myy feet on
solid ground, and the journal stuck between his chest and mine. There was
still a lot of full-bodyy contact. Myy stomach and legs were pressed against
his, and when I drew in a breath, I could practicallyy taste his dark spice
and pine scent on myy tongue. Before I could sayy a word, he reached up and
fisted the back of myy hood.
“Don’t—” I started.
Too late.
He yyanked it down. “A mask. This brings back old memories.” His
gaze roamed, flickering over the strands of hair that had escaped myy braid
and now fell against myy cheeks.