Page 135 of Taste of Thorns

“I can’t. It’ll make me vomit.”

Thorne’s brows descend over his dark eyes which meet mine with determination. “Drink!”

I huff and, with a trembling hand, lift the water to my mouth and take the teeniest of sips, barely wetting my lips.

“More,” he commands.

“I can’t.”

“You can. It will make you feel better.”

“I bet you’ve never been hungover,” I mumble, forcing several gulpfuls of water down my throat.

“No, I haven’t because I’ve never been foolish enough to drink that much.”

“I bet you have. You’re just a lot bigger and it would take more to affect you.”

“Keep drinking,” he instructs, ignoring me.

I glare up at him and tip back the glass.

“Better?” he asks me when I’m done.

“A little,” I confess, although my stomach is still churning.

“Want some breakfast?”

“I promised the others I’d go scavenging for food and water.”

“Better come with me, then.”

He watches me clambering to my feet, shaking his head as I sway, and leads the way down to the kitchen. Several times he has to stop and let me catch up with him because my limbs aren’t moving as quickly or with as much coordination as they usually do.

“This is very irresponsible,” he says, “you’re a mommy now.”

“Huh?”

“The dragon in the woods.” His lips twitch.

“Thorne Cadieux, I’m seriously hungover and my brain has been addled with alcohol, but was that a joke?”

“I wouldn’t joke about such things.” He smiles properly this time. It smoothes all the hard lines on his face, makes him even more handsome than he already was.

And, stars, that has my nauseous stomach fluttering.

“I like it when you smile, Grumps,” I tell him.

“Grumps?” he repeats, taking a step back away from me in alarm.

“Yes, it’s what I’m going to call you from now on,” I tease, deciding in the moment.

“I don’t like it,” he says.

I shrug. “Smile more, and I’ll consider changing it.”

“You truly are insufferable, Briony Storm. Maybe I’ll just call you brat.”

I shrug a second time. “I’m pretty sure Beaufort has called me that numerous times. Dray calls me Kitten for a reason I do not fully understand.”