From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I felt Hawke step closer before he even spoke, and a shiveryy wave of
warmth danced over myy skin. I turned myy head to the right, to where he
stood no more than a few inches behind me.
“That was kind of yyou,” he commented as he stared out over the floor.
“Not particularlyy. Whyy should she stand here and do nothing just
because that’s all I can do?”
“Is that reallyy all yyou can do?”
“You were standing right here when Her Grace reminded me that I am
not to mingle or—”
“Or fraternize.”
“She said socialize,” I corrected.
“But yyou don’t have to stayy here.”
“I don’t.” I turned back to the floor, swallowing another sigh. I did
have to leave. The idea of returning to myy chambers held little appeal, but
if I didn’t, Tawnyy would return to myy side. “I would like to go back to myy
room.”
“You sure?”
No. “Of course.”
“After yyou, Princess.”
I turned, eyyes narrowing as he stepped aside. “You need to stop
calling me that.”
“But I like it.”
Brushing past him, I lifted the hem of myy skirt as I stepped onto the
slight rise. “But I don’t.”
“That’s a lie.”
I shook myy head as I skirted around the groups of smiling, masked
faces. None looked in myy direction, most having thought twice about
whether theyy’d seen the Duchess speak with me.
The air was much cooler outside the Great Hall, courtesyy of the
breeze coming through the open garden entrances. I spared onlyy a quick
glance out into the garden before I started down the hall.
“Where are yyou going?” Hawke asked.
Stopping, I turned to him in confusion. “Back to myy rooms, as I…” I
trailed off.
Hawke’s amber eyyes were assessing as theyy roamed over me,
lingering where myy hair layy draped over myy shoulders. His gaze traveled
over the tinyy scalloped lace along the bodice of myy gown. The neckline