Quality Bonding Pt. 3

The bags were beginning to add up—not alarmingly so, but enough that Liam had taken to shifting them between his hands every few minutes, sighing dramatically as if you were personally weighing him down.

“Okay,” he said as you stepped out of another boutique, adding another bag to his growing collection. “At what point do I get paid for this?”

You smirked, tossing your hair over your shoulder. “Excuse me, paid? You should be paying me for this masterclass in fashion.”

“Oh, is that what this is?” He exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. “I thought it was some kind of psychological experiment.”

You laughed, linking your arm through his and tugging him toward the next store. “You say that like you’re not having fun.”

Liam muttered something under his breath, but he didn’t pull away. You chose to take that as a win.

You weren’t entirely sure why you were drawn to it. Maybe it was the delicate lace displays in the window. Maybe it was the rich, inviting scent of vanilla and perfume that curled into the air. Or maybe—just maybe—it was the thrill of something extra indulgent.

Whatever the reason, your feet carried you straight into Victoria’s Secret before your brain even caught up. Liam, on the other hand, definitely needed a second to process.

“Oh no,” he said, stopping dead in his tracks just outside the entrance. “Nope. I’m drawing the line here.”

You turned to him, grinning. “Oh, come on.”

Liam shook his head. “Absolutely not.”

You grabbed his wrist, dragging him forward. “Too late. You’re already inside.”

“I hate this.”

“You love this.”

He groaned as you pulled him deeper into the store, his ears already turning red.

The soft, ambient lighting and plush displays of lace, silk, and mesh practically beckoned you forward. There was something indulgent—almost intoxicating—about being surrounded by such sheer luxury.

And you deserved a little luxury, didn’t you?

Your fingers skimmed over a delicate black lace teddy with sheer panels and a plunging neckline. The kind of thing meant to be seen—if only for a few minutes before it ended up on the floor.

Liam caught sight of it and immediately pinched the bridge of his nose. “Why.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Why not?”

“Do you need this?”

You smirked, shifting your weight to one hip. “What if I want to have extra fun for one of my hookups?”

Liam muttered something that sounded suspiciously like oh my god under his breath, but you were already moving on.

The red satin balconette bra practically called to you. Bold, daring, with delicate lace trimming along the cups. The matching sheer lace thong was just as stunning—dainty, intricate, and meant to be seen in the soft glow of dim lighting.

You tossed them over your arm without hesitation.

“Y’know,” Liam said, watching you pick up yet another barely-there lace set, “I really didn’t need to know this much about your… extracurricular activities.”

You smirked. “Oh, but you did.”

He sighed. “I’m in hell.”

You hummed, holding up a white lace bralette with delicate floral embroidery. The sheer fabric was just transparent enough to be suggestive without outright giving everything away.

You turned to Liam, holding it up. “This one’s cute, right?”

Liam blinked. His gaze flickered from the bralette to your face, then anywhere else in the store. “…I am not answering that.”

You grinned. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

By the time you made it to the checkout, Liam looked like he had aged ten years.

But you? You felt completely, deliciously indulgent.

Still basking in the thrill of your last purchase, you steered Liam toward another boutique—this one filled with elegant heels, statement shoes, and more temptation than you probably needed.

Liam eyed you warily as you stepped inside. “We just bought shoes.”

“That was earlier,” you countered, already running your fingers along a pair of gold metallic heels with delicate straps.

Liam sighed. “How many pairs of heels does one person need?”

You shot him a look. “That is not a real question.”

He groaned as you grabbed the heels and added them to your haul. You were being good, though—you only picked up the one pair. For now.

The two of you stepped back out into the mall, your arms just a little heavier with new bags, but your mood definitely lighter.

Liam stretched, rolling his shoulders. “So… is this the part where we take a break?”

You gasped. “Are you tired?”

Liam scoffed. “I am being **** to carry half of Toronto’s economy.”

You smirked, nudging his arm. “You’re being dramatic.”

“And you’re relentless.”

You grinned. “And yet, here you are.”

Liam opened his mouth, then shut it again. Instead of answering, he simply shook his head, a small, almost fond smile tugging at the corners of his lips. And for a brief moment—just a brief one—you found yourself watching him a little too closely.

The way his shoulders moved when he stretched. The way his hands flexed around the bags. The way the light from the store windows caught the sharp angles of his face.

“Come on,” you said, leading him toward the next store. “We’re not done yet.”

Liam groaned. “Of course we’re not.”

And just like that, the moment was gone.

By now, the bags were beginning to add up—not quite a towering burden, but enough that Liam had fully embraced his role as your **** pack mule. Every so often, he would make an exaggerated groan, shifting the weight between his arms like some tragic martyr.

You, of course, were completely unsympathetic.

“Oh, please,” you said, rolling your eyes as he adjusted the latest set of bags. “You act like I’m making you carry a grand piano.”

Liam scoffed. “I am carrying a grand piano. Several, actually.”

You nudged him with your elbow. “Don’t be so dramatic.”

He muttered something under his breath, but you were already moving forward, scanning the stores with a critical eye. You were almost done—almost—but there were still a few more stops to make.

You hadn’t intended to buy another pair of shoes. Really.

But the moment you stepped into the boutique, your gaze immediately landed on a pair of red stiletto pumps. They were the perfect mix of beautiful and sultry—bold but powerful, the kind of heels that whispered seduction until you turned your foot just right, revealing the daring height of the stiletto.

You plucked them off the display and turned to Liam, holding them up. “Tell me these aren’t the hottest things you’ve ever seen.”

Liam blinked at you. Then at the shoes. Then back at you.

“I literally do not have the qualifications to answer that.”

You huffed, turning the shoe over in your hand. “They’re sexy.”

He sighed, resigned. “Then get them.”

“Oh, I was.”

Liam groaned. “Why did you ask me, then?”

You grinned. “I like watching you suffer.”

Despite himself, a laugh slipped out.

You added the stilettos to your growing collection.

And then, because you technically hadn’t gotten a new pair of classic nude heels, you grabbed a sleek, almond-toe pair with a comfortable stiletto height. (Liam immediately protested, but by now, his complaints were little more than background noise.)

It happened entirely by accident.

The two of you were making your way toward the exit, arms loaded with bags, when you passed it—a weed dispensary, tucked neatly between a cosmetics store and a trendy café.

Both of you slowed. Liam stared at it. You stared at it. A massive, neon cannabis leaf flickered in the window, completely unbothered by your hesitation.

Liam turned to you. “Huh.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Huh?”

“I dunno. Just… never really thought about it.”

You tilted your head. “Have you ever tried it?”

Liam gave a one-shouldered shrug. “Once. At a party. Barely felt anything.”

You blinked. “I’ve never tried it.”

He looked at you, surprised. “Never?”

You shook your head. “Nope.”

“Huh.”

The two of you fell into silence again, watching as someone walked inside the store like it was the most normal thing in the world. Which, now that you thought about it, it was.

It had been legal for years, and yet… neither of you had ever really talked about it.

“Y’know,” you mused, “I don’t think we’ve ever even joked about doing it together.”

Liam hummed. “Nope.”

Silence. A glance.

Then, at the exact same moment—“…Wanna go in?”

Neither of you hesitated.

The inside of the dispensary was sleek, modern, and definitely not what you expected. The walls were lined with glass cases of pre-rolls, gummies, and vapes, all neatly arranged like expensive luxury products.

Liam looked around, rubbing the back of his neck. “This is weird.”

You hummed. “Yeah, but, like… a fun weird.”

The two of you approached the counter, where an employee—who looked exactly like someone who worked at a dispensary (chill, beanie, soft-spoken but slightly amused)—greeted you.

“First time?” he asked.

You and Liam exchanged a glance.

“…Is it that obvious?” Liam sighed.

The guy chuckled. “A little.”

After some light questioning (do you want something mild? Heavy? Do you wanna ascend to another dimension?), the two of you settled on a couple of pre-rolls, something “balanced” and “relaxing.” And just like that, you walked out with an entirely new experience in your bag.

“Well,” you said, holding up the sleek packaging, “that happened.”

Liam snorted. “It did.”

You tilted your head. “Should we… get something for later?”

He blinked. “What do you mean?”

You grinned. “I mean, we are having dinner later. Might as well fully commit to bad decisions.”

Liam considered this. Then, slowly, a mischievous glint lit up his eyes.

“…Are you suggesting we stop by the LCBO?”

“I am.”

A slow smile spread across his face. “I’m listening.”

The LCBO trip was far more chaotic than it had any right to be.

You made your way through the aisles, tossing bottles into your basket with the ease of someone who had absolutely no plans other than vague hedonism.

Liam, on the other hand, had transformed.

Suddenly, he was engaged. Excited, even.

“Oh, we should get this,” he said, pointing at a bottle of spiced rum. “It’s great for mixing.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Wow, look at you. So passionate.”

“I take my **** seriously.”

“Oh, clearly.”

Liam grabbed a bottle of wine, holding it up for you to see. “Red or white?”

“White.”

He made a face. “Coward.”

You gasped, hand over your chest. “Excuse me?”

He grinned, tossing in the red. “You’ll survive.”

By the time you made it to the checkout, Liam was giddy, practically vibrating with excitement.

“You were dead during shopping,” you teased, watching as he inspected your purchases. “But now? Oh, now you’re suddenly full of energy.”

Liam grinned, unbothered. “Listen. Clothes are fine, but this? This is where the fun begins.”

You snorted. “The contrast is hilarious.”

He shrugged. “I contain multitudes.”

As you stepped out into the crisp evening air, the weight of the bags in your arms felt oddly satisfying.

You had done a lot today—maybe even a little too much—but it had been fun. More than fun. It had been the most fun you’d had in a while.

Liam exhaled, rolling his shoulders. “Well. That happened.”

You smirked. “Oh, it definitely did.”

“…So, where's dinner?”

Liam grinned. “I was just about to ask.”

“We should probably drop these at our place.”

And just like that, the night was only just beginning.