Liam put his fork down, sat straight up and stared at his phone's screen for several seconds. One new message, his home-screen read. He put it down without viewing it, finished his meal and once again picked up his phone.

1 New Message: Adelaide

He unlocked his phone and read the text.

Adelaide: I miss you. Are you doing ok?

Liam placed his phone down on the bar and ordered a vodka tonic, extra lime. He slowly sipped on his drink while exchanging some friendly banter with the other bar patrons. After about an hour and another vodka tonic he felt the buzz of his phone travel through the bar top. He finished the joke he was telling and picked it up.

Adelaide: Liam?

He waited ten minutes, took a deep breath and, against his better judgement, began to type a message back.

Adelaide was folding her laundry when she heard that familiar chime. She dropped the shirt in her hands and quickly walked to her phone.

1 new message: Liam

A smile started forming on Adelaide's face before she told herself to stop, preparing herself for a blow-off text. Don't be stupid. Stop smiling.

Liam: I'm good, Adelaide.

I'm good, Adelaide. That's it? You aren't going to ask me how I am? You aren't even going to call me Addy? Adelaide began to type a response then quickly deleted it. She tossed her phone on the bed and began folding the shirt she had dropped earlier.

I saw that, Liam thought as he looked at the three dots under his last text, indicating she was already typing a response. He put his phone down and ordered one last drink. He knew she wanted him to ask her how she was doing too, so she could thinly veil whatever it was she needed. I'll give you fifteen minutes before you can't take it anymore and text back, Addy.

Adelaide was now finished with the laundry and looked at her phone, then the alarm clock on her nightstand. Eighteen minutes. She picked up the phone and began typing.

Adelaide: I miss you Liam. I want to see you. I know it's been a long time. Can we just hang out? I am in my own place now, finally. It will just be me and you. I miss my wolf, don't you miss your bunny?

Liam hunched over and rested his head in his free hand as he read her message, and then read it again, and again, for several minutes.

"You okay there, Liam? Your girlfriend checking up on ya?" A pretty young woman in black asked, snapping him out of his uncomfortable trance.

Liam glanced up at the girl he had been talking to for the past half hour, already forgetting her name and said. "Nah, I'm single. Just some work thing I gotta do tomorrow. I better get out of here, you have a good night."

"Take it easy, workaholic."

Liam sat in his Range Rover and began to type.

Liam: I would be a liar if I said I didn't miss my sugar baby from time to time.

You know I fucking hate when you call me that, Adelaide thought and began typing.

Adelaide: I hate when you call me that.

Liam smirked and sent off his next message.

Liam: I can't see you tonight but how about tomorrow? I'll make a reservation at Imamura's.

Adelaide: Yay! I live on 1255 Green Mountain Road now.

Liam: I'll pick you up at 6.

Adelaide: See you tomorrow. Goodnight Liam.

Liam fought the urge to wish her goodnight as well, synced his phone with his car, hit shuffle and backed out of his parking spot. Tegan and Sara's Back in Your Head came pouring out of the speakers as he drove off. Of course, how appropriate, Liam thought.

Adelaide waited for Liam's goodnight text that would never come. She tossed her phone on the bed and walked to the living room. She stared at the large framed picture that hung over the fireplace. That must have been hard, Liam. I know your mother raised you better than to not say goodnight back. Especially to someone you love. Sugar, pfft. That picture, that day, that's love. Whether you want to acknowledge it or not, that picture is a symbol of our love. 

Liam waited for the gates at the beginning of his driveway to open and drove up the hill, past his small vineyard. Before leaving his Range Rover in the garage, he picked up his phone and dialed the restaurant.

"Thank you for calling Imamura: St. Valley. This is Rebecca, how may I help you?"

"Hello Rebecca, are there any reservations available for tomorrow night at 6:30? Actually...better make that for 7:00."

"Let's see..."

"Two for Liam Alexander."

"Yes, I know Mr. Alexander, your number is in our system. I remember you. You haven't visited us in a while!"

Liam chuckled and said, "It has been way too long."

"I have you down for two at 7:00. Is there anything else I can help you with, Mr. Alexander? Would you like us to have a bottle of champagne ready for you two right when you get here?"

"Yes, that sounds good. Some Schramsberg will be nice."

"I will make a note. Have a good evening Mr. Alexander."

"You too."

Liam ended the call, scrolled through his music and listened to Back in Your Head one more time before going inside and calling it a night.

…

Liam parked in the driveway, checked himself in the visor mirror and exited his car. He slowly walked up to Adelaide's front door and checked the time on his watch. 6:17. He rang the doorbell and waited. A few short moments later Adelaide opened the door. She was still in her panties and bra, a set Liam had given her. Her head tilted to the side with a portion of her long wavy brown hair in a flat iron.

"Hey baby," Adelaide said as she leaned in to quickly kiss Liam before closing the door behind him.

"You're the sugar baby here, not me."

"Don't call me that…" She said, the last couple words trailing off as she turned the corner in the hallway.

Liam stepped into the Living room and focused on the large photograph hanging above her fireplace. It was a picture he had taken of her on one of the nights they would get drunk and have a photo-shoot. He would have her dress up in different outfits and pose for him, his creativity and her vanity coming together to make something beautiful. This picture in particular was special though. The look in her eyes… In that one moment Liam actually felt like she loved him. Loved him and not the money. Not the fact that she hadn't worked in two years. Not the trips. Not the spas. Not the clothes. Not the restaurants. Not the jewels. Him. It captured that one moment that kept him tied to her, even now.

"I have never felt more beautiful than I did that day," Adelaide whispered in Liam's ear.

Liam checked the time. "We better get going, I made the reservation for 7:00."

"I doubt they will care if we're late."

"You make that dress look gorgeous, Adelaide."

"It feels weird, you calling me Adelaide. I feel like I'm in trouble."

Liam laughed and extended his bent arm for her to take. "Come on, let's go."

…

When they arrived at Imamura's they were seated at a table, by the window, overlooking the river with the sun setting just behind the mountains.

"They remembered our table," Adelaide smiled and looked into Liam's eyes.

Liam looked back into hers for just a second before two champagne flutes were placed in front of them and filled with bubbly, refreshing, sparkling wine. They chitchatted with the waiter a bit, avoiding the questions of where they had been and placed their food orders.

"So, are you going to tell me why we are both here right now? Is everything okay with you, Adelaide?"

"I just wanted to see you. I miss you so much. It's been really hard to be on my own."

"It's been over six months. I know you are trying. I'm proud that you got that job at the spa. You are perfect for that place. You know so much about that kind of stuff."

"I have a special treat for you after dinner. I want to give you one of those massages you like so much. I can tell you haven't had one in a long time. You look tense, Liam. I have all the stuff at the house. I mean, I can give you the works."

"Why do you have all the stuff at your house?"

"Does it matter?"

"I'm just making conversation…but, tell me why."

"I had to quit."

The food runner placed their first course in front of them and stepped to the side while the waiter refilled their champagne flutes.

"For the lady, toro tartare with wasabi, nori paste, sturgeon caviar and a touch of sour cream. For the gentleman, wagyu beef carpaccio with yuzu soy and ginger. Enjoy." The waiter brought his hands together, smiled and left the table.

"Oh my God, this looks so good. I haven't had something this good in front of me in a long time," Adelaide said and picked up her fork.

"It does, I'm so hungry too. So, tell me what happened at the spa."

"Some bitches pissed me off. You know how I get. So I just quit before I ended up drowning one of them in the mud tubs."

"I see…"

"You see what?"

"Nothing. If you feel like you had to quit then you had to quit," Liam said and took a bite of his carpaccio. "So you jacked some of their products, huh?"

"I did. You're in for a treat."

The busser removed their dirty plates and a short while later their next course arrived.

"For the lady, bone marrow with teriyaki sauce and five spices. For the gentleman, duck meatballs in duck broth with ginger and cilantro.

"I'm looking forward to that massage now. You're right, I haven't had a good massage, like the ones you give, in a long time."

Adelaide smiled and took a small bite of bone marrow.

"Mmmmm, you have to try this." She took a small scoop and fed it to Liam.

"Goddamn…that is so good. Trade me plates."

"NO WAY!"

They finished their second course and ordered a carafe of aged saké . One described to have fragrant honey aromas with a walnut cream finish. The waiter placed a large plate of sushi rolls in the middle of the two and pointed out which roll was which. Crispy salmon skin, soft shell crab, California, spicy tuna, and shiso leaf with plum sauce. They enjoyed the small delicate rolls and the saké for the next hour, laughing and flirting. For a moment there they both forgot they had separated. They forgot the pain. They forgot the loneliness.

Adelaide caught her breath from laughing and said, "I am soooo stuffed but I want dessert. We have to get dessert!"

"Were you actually thinking we were gonna leave here without getting dessert? Do you even know me anymore?"

"Let's get the s'more! Oh my God my mouth just started watering," Adelaide said with a grin.

"My stomach says no but my mouth says yes."

The two finished the dessert and Liam paid the bill. They shook hands with and hugged the manager, hostess, a few of the waiters and a couple of the regulars in the lounge. Just like old times.

Liam synced his phone to his car and hit shuffle. Before he could set it down Adelaide took it from his hand, scrolled to Back in Your Head and hit play. She set it down and they both remained quiet, just listening to the words on the short drive back to her house.

…

God, that feels so fucking good. You are fucking magic, Addy, Liam thought as Adelaide worked her oiled elbow into his quad. When she was finished with his left leg, she covered it with a hot towel and began to wipe off the seaweed mud mixture off his right leg. She pumped some scented oil onto her hands and worked it into his leg muscles for the next half hour.

"All done, sir."

Liam opened his eyes when he felt Adelaide crawl onto the bed beside him. She rested her head on his chest and again she reminded him of how much she missed him.

"Why can't we just be like this all the time? You belong in my bed, with me," Adelaide softly said.

"You're too expensive."

"Not for you."

"You're twenty-five, beautiful, funny, and smart. Don't you want to become something? You have so much potential. Don't you want to be something other than my sugar baby?"

Adelaide sat up and looked right into Liam eyes. "I fucking love you. Don't you ever call me sugar baby again. I love you and you love me. I still have the frilly ruff collar you bought me to wear in that picture. Remember? We both picked our favorite picture and it was the same one? You said you liked it so much because you could see the love in my eyes. That was the day I knew you were mine and I was yours. You looked at me like the sun rose and set with me. You love that I don't have to work when I'm with you. You love making me happy. You love spoiling me... You love fucking me… You love fucking me because you know it means something to both of us. You know you can do whatever you want to me."

Liam slightly pushed her off of him and began to sit up. "It's late."

"Where are you going? No!" Adelaide straddled Liam. "Stop, don't do this to me."

Liam placed his hand on her shoulder and tossed her off of him. Adelaide swung her open palm hard into Liam's face. Liam closed his eyes and took a deep breath and continued to get up. Adelaide brought her hand back across his cheek. Liam swiftly gripped Adelaide's small neck and pinned her down on the bed.

"Is this what you want?" Liam said with fire in his eyes.

"Yes," Adelaide said through a heavy breath.

Liam tightened his grip on her neck as she exhaled and pulled the thin waistband of her thong hard and fast away from her hip, ripping them off her legs. He ran his fingers between her soft bare folds up to her clit and rubbed it until her juices began to flow. He inserted two of his fingers into her warm, wet depths and moved them in and out as his thumb rubbed small circles on her clit.

Adelaide moved her hands up to her breasts, cupped them and massaged upward, rubbing her palms on her nipples at the end of each stroke. She opened her eyes to look at him as he tightened his grip on her neck. He increased the movement of his fingers in her pussy and on her clit. She felt that he was capable of tightening his grip enough to not let her breath at all, never loosening it again, and it turned her on more than anything.

She arched her back upward and pushed her sopping wet pussy into Liam's thrusts until she felt a hot ball of energy build between her open thighs. “Yes, yes, yes,” she moaned as she clenched her ass and let her orgasm explode out and roll through her legs and belly, up to her nipples and back. Liam loosened his grip on her neck and Adelaide took several deep gasping breaths until her breathing normalized.

Liam got up, grabbed Adelaide by the hair and stood her up. He walked her over to the bathroom, instructed her to grab the edge of the counter and forcefully bent her over. He used his foot to tap the inside of her feet, making her widen her stance. He reached between her legs and slowly ran his fingers from her clit and back through her folds and hole, collecting all her juices before rubbing them into her tight anal opening.

"Lick my fingers, make them nice and wet," He told her while pulling her head back so she was forced to look at herself tasting her own juices in the mirror behind the sink. "That's it, that's a good girl."

Liam rubbed his wet fingers between her cheeks until her butt-hole was nice and moist. He grabbed the base of his big thick cock and tapped the head upward against her clit repeatedly before dipping it into her pussy. He pulled it out and began to massage her tighter opening with his engorged tip.

"Fucking do it," Adelaide moaned.

Liam pushed into Adelaide's asshole until his head slowly forced her ring open. Once his head was in, he pushed harder until his entire shaft was inside of her ass as far as it would go. He left it in there and flexed his cock repeatedly and whispered in her ear. "Make it as tight as you can, girl."

Adelaide clenched her asshole and let out a whimper as Liam's shaft began to slide out. She felt him tighten his grip on her hair and mercilessly shove his cock back up her ass. "Fuck!"

He continued to pump her ass, slapping his hips into her cheeks with each ever intensifying stroke. He gripped her waist tightly with his hand and looked up at the mirror to meet her eyes as he fucked her ass. That look; her beautifully fierce brown eyes. He felt the back of his legs tighten up and his balls tingle. His cum ripped through his shaft and came bursting out deep inside Adelaide's clenched hole. Liam caught his breath, let go of her hair and leaned down to kiss her between her shoulder blades before slipping his dick out.

…

Liam, wearing a bathrobe and holding a glass of water, was standing in front of the picture of Adelaide. Why can't I ever say no to you? Don't you understand that we are both toxic for each other? We will kill each other one day. Liam took a drink. This fucking cucumber mint lemon water you make really is delicious though… 

"Are you coming to bed?" Adelaide asked, wearing a short silk robe, standing halfway behind the door frame, her cheek pressed against the edge.

"Yeah, give me a second. I'm going to start a fire, it's a bit chilly in here."

Adelaide smiled and bit her bottom lip. "Okay, sounds good."

Liam started the fire, looked one last time at the picture of Adelaide and walked to the bedroom.

"I had such a great time tonight, baby."

"Shhhh, let's just sleep," Liam whispered.

"Okay, goodnight."

"Goodnight."

…

Adelaide opened her eyes and glanced at her alarm clock. 1:58 AM. She turned around and found that she was alone in the bed. Her heart started to beat faster. She got up to check the bathroom then looked out the window and saw that Liam's car was gone. She ran back to her bedroom, grabbed her phone and dialed his number. Straight to voicemail. She fought the urge to cry. She walked to the living room where the fire was still going and sat on the coach. She stared at the picture of herself, closed her eyes and remembered that day. She opened them again and looked for the TV remote. On the coffee table, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a stack of hundred dollar bills with a handwritten note on top of them.

Addy,

I had a great time tonight too.

I saw that you had a stack of bills in

red envelopes. I know you are

having a hard time. I left you 10,000

dollars. It should be enough to catch

up and help you out for a while.

-Liam

Adelaide picked up the stack of hundreds and fanned through them. A frown began to creep across her face. The tears she had held back earlier were now rolling down both of her cheeks. She glanced at her late bills then back at her picture and walked to the fireplace. She gripped the stack of money tightly, closed her eyes and threw it into the fire. She opened them and watched the bright orange flames from the money flare up.

…

The next morning Liam turned his phone on and a message from Adelaide was already waiting for him. He opened it and saw a picture of money burning with the words "I love you" underneath. Oh my God, you freaking maniac. Liam smiled and began to type back.

The End