Ariana's POV
I got back to my dorm long after midnight, my heels dangling from one hand, the fundraiser's noise still ringing faintly in my ears even in the quiet of the empty hallway. Becca was already asleep, soft snoring coming from her side of the room, so I moved quietly, changing out of my dress and settling onto my bed in the dark.
My skin still carried the ghost warmth of Jace's hand at my back, at my jaw, the careless way he'd touched me all night like it was the most natural thing in the world. No cameras. No audience. Just him wanting to.
I stared up at the ceiling, my chest tight with something I'd been avoiding looking at directly for weeks now.
Public only, no real feelings. Clear end date.
I used to recite those rules like a mantra, the careful boundaries that were supp
