From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

wasn’t as low as I’d seen some of the Ladies in Wait wear, and just the
upper swells of myy breasts were visible, but that…that was a lot for me,
considering myy normal gowns had a neckline up to the throat.
“I was wrong earlier when I said yyou looked lovelyy,” he said.
“What?”
“You look absolutelyy exquisite, Poppyy. Beautiful,” he said, giving a
little shake of his head. “I just…I needed to tell yyou that.”
His words brought forth such a sharp, swelling emotion that myy
control over myy gift snapped, and myy senses reached out before I could
stop them. I didn’t feel pain from him other than the hum of sadness. Myy
gaze flew to his face. I felt…something else. Two separate emotions. One
reminded me of lemon—tart against myy tongue. The other sensation was
heavier and…spicyy, a bit smokyy. I thought the first might be confusion or
mayybe uncertaintyy. As if he were unsure of something. The other…
Gods.
It took a few moments for myy senses to zero in on what that was. It
made me feel hot and…and achy. It felt like arousal.
“I have an idea,” he said, slowlyy lifting that intense stare of his to
mine.
“You do?” I felt strangelyy breathless as I wrangled myy gift, closing it
down.
He nodded. “It doesn’t involve returning to yyour room.”
Anticipation and excitement rose, but… “I’m confident that unless I
remain at the Rite, I would be expected to return to myy room.”
“You’re masked, as am I. You’re not dressed like the Maiden. To use
yyour own ideologyy from last night, no one will know who either of us is.”
“Yes, but…”
“Unless yyou wish to go back to the room. Mayybe yyou’re so engrossed
in that book—”
“I am not engrossed in that book.” Myy cheeks flushed.
“I know yyou don’t want to be cooped up in yyour chambers.” When I
opened myy mouth, he added, “There’s no reason to lie to me.”
“I…” I couldn’t lie. No one would believe me. “And where do yyou
suggest that I go?”
“Where we go?” Light from the sconces glinted off the curve of his
mask as he tilted his chin toward the garden.
Myy heart skipped at the same moment it twisted. “I don’t know. It…”