“Weren't you sleeping?" he inquired with a smirk, leaving Claudia at a loss for words.

His gaze fell, and unexpectedly, he seized her hand. “Feeling chilly?" Claudia's hand fluttered like a startled bird, withdrawing quickly. Defiant, she shot back, “No.”

“So, the coat is no longer necessary, unless you want to be sweating later."

He confidently whisked the coat away.

Claudia, almost reflexively, reached for it, and in an awkward tone admitted, "Actually, it is a bit cold."

Bennett's eyes held a curious glint as he stood, the coat in hand. Neither relinquishing nor pulling, he locked in a standoff with Claudia.

A mischievous and profound expression danced in his dark eyes. A subtle smile teased his Lips. "Weren't you complaining about the heat?"

The realization crashed down on Claudia. Bennett had orchestrated this! He knew her flushed complexion had nothing to do with temperature but her shyness.

How mischievous he was! He was playfully teasing her!

Frustration flared within Claudia, making her relinquish the coat abruptly. The jacket fell from her hand, Landing safely in Bennett's. "Fine, take it then."

Annoyed, she averted her gaze to the window, her eyes glinting with resentment.

Bennett ceased his games, draping his coat over her once again. “Wear it. Don't let the cold get to you."

Claudia, still miffed, shrugged the jacket off the moment it touched her shoulders.

Bennett's patience seemed endless as he retrieved the jacket and tried again. "Upset with me?"

“Really?”

His voice was laced with mirth and the hint of a smile.

Claudia sought his reflection in the window, but the glaring streetlights outside thwarted her.

Her anger intensified even further!

Claudia pushed the coat away, yet again.

This time, Bennett did not persist.

A heavy silence permeated the car. Guilt nudged at Claudia.

Had she gone too far?