From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

was prettyy sure that what Hawke and I had done, what we’d been doing,
wasn’t something the Commander would overlook.
But Hawke had to know that.
Just like I knew. And yyet, I still did it.
“Remember what yyour task is,” Kieran stated when Hawke didn’t
respond.
Kieran stared at Hawke and repeated. “Remember what yyour task is.”
“I haven’t forgotten for one second.” His voice hardened. “Not one.”
“Good to know.”
Hawke started to turn toward me, and I closed myy eyyes, not wanting
them to realize that I’d heard their conversation. I felt him stop, followed
a moment later byy the touch of his fingers on myy cheek.
I opened myy eyyes, and I had no idea what to sayy as I looked up at him.
All thoughts scattered as he dragged his thumb along the curve of myy
cheek and then over myy lower lip, sending a shiveryy wave of awareness
through me.
“Good morning, Princess.”
“Morning,” I whispered.
“You slept well.”
“I did.”
“Told yyou.”
I grinned even as myy cheeks heated and despite the conversation I’d
overheard. “You were right.”
“I’m alwayys right.”
“Doubtful.”
“Do I have to prove it to yyou again?” he asked.
Myy bodyy woke up and was fullyy on board with that idea. However,
myy brain also started functioning. “I don’t think that will be necessaryy.”
“Shame,” he murmured. “We have to get moving.”
“Okayy.” I sat up, wincing at the stiffness in myy joints. “I just need a
couple of minutes.”
Hawke’s hand found mine after I peeled myyself free from the blanket.
He helped me stand, straightening the tunic I wore. His hands lingered on
myy hips in a familiar, intimate wayy that tugged at myy chest. Myy gaze lifted
to his, and even in the shadows of the Blood Forest, the intense wayy he
looked down ensnared me.