From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Hawke stepped toward me, and myy muscles tensed to run, but I held
myyself still byy sheer will. I knew I should’ve stepped awayy. I should’ve
spoken and revealed that I wasn’t Britta. I should’ve left immediatelyy. The
wayy he prowled toward me, his long legs eating up the distance between
us, told me his intent, even if he hadn’t removed his tunic. And while I had
little—all right, absolutelyy no experience—I inherentlyy knew that if he
reached me, he would touch me. He mayy do even more. He might kiss me.
And that was forbidden.
I was the Maiden, the Chosen. Not to mention, he thought I was
another woman, and he’d obviouslyy been in this room with someone else
before I got here. That didn’t mean he’d been with someone, but he
could’ve.
I still didn’t move or speak.
I waited, myy heart beating so fast I felt faint. Tinyy tremors racked myy
hands and legs.
And I never trembled.
What are you doing? whispered the reasonable, sane voice in myy
head.
Living, I whispered back.
And being incredibly stupid, the voice countered.
I was, but again, I stood there.
Senses hyyperaware, I watched as Hawke stopped in front of me and
lifted his hands, gripping the back of the hood with one. For a moment, I
thought he might pull it back, and the charade would be over, but that
wasn’t what he did. The hood onlyy slipped back a couple of inches.
“I don’t know what kind of game yyou’re about tonight.” His deep
voice was huskyy. “But I’m willing to find out.”
His other arm came around myy waist. A gasp left me as he hauled me
to his chest. This was nothing like the brief embraces I’d received from
Vikter. I’d never been held byy a man like this. There wasn’t an inch
between his chest and mine. The contact was a jolt to myy senses.
He lifted me up onto the tips of myy toes, then clear off myy feet. His
strength was staggering since I wasn’t exactlyy light. Stunned, myy hands
landed on his shoulders. The heat of his hard skin seemed to burn through
myy gloves and the cloak and thin white gown I usuallyy slept in.
His head slanted, and I felt the warmth of his breath on myy lips. A
tight tremor of anticipation coiled its wayy down myy spine at the same