The first thing I noticed when I woke wasn’t the warmth like yesterday. It was the ache. My back hurt from sleeping on the uneven mat of leaves. My head throbbed from lack of real food. My stomach growled like an angry dog demanding attention. And the worst part? I could feel Liam’s arm still flung casually over me like I was some human pillow.
I wriggled out of his grip carefully, making sure not to wake him, then sat up with a groan. The hut felt smaller than ever. The salty breeze leaked through the gaps, carrying the scent of the ocean, mocking me with water I couldn’t drink. My makeshift pouch of fresh water was sitting in the corner, and thank God for that, but water only solved part of the problem. My body craved food. Real food.
I reached into the little pile of fruit I had gathe
