Bennett helped her get dressed, gently guiding her out before placing her on the bed. With a towel in hand, he proceeded to tenderly dry her dampened hair.

Resting her head on his shoulder, Claudia's body felt like jelly, devoid of muscles and bones.

The weariness settled in, rendering her both sleepy and lethargic. As she lay on the bed, Bennett's voice reached her ears. He was saying something to her.

With a sniff, Claudia said pitifully, "No!"

Undeterred, Bennett smiled silently before disappearing into the bathroom to retrieve a hairdryer.

He just asked her if she wanted to dry her hair.

Upon his return, Claudia was looking for her pillow under the quilt in a drowsy haze.

Bennett hastened to her side, pulling her back into his warm embrace.

"Good girl."

Lifting her with utmost care, Bennett cradled Claudia in his arms.

Squinting at him, she murmured, "I'm so sleepy."

She was so sleepy that she could hardly keep her eyes open.

"Go to sleep. I'll dry your hair."

Claudia groaned softly, resting on his shoulder. Succumbing to the allure of exhaustion, she soon drifted off to sleep.

She fell into a deep, dreamless sleep until dawn.

The following morning, Claudia awoke with a subtle ache in her waist.

The remnants of the previous night's escapade replayed like a slow-motion movie in her mind.

She touched her flushed cheeks and quickly rose from the bed, compelled to run into the bathroom and splash cold water on her face.

Even though it was Sunday, Bennett adhered to his routine of rising early.

Claudia assumed he had gone for a swim and went downstairs. Glancing at the cloudy sky outside the window, she discovered it was the autumn rain of the year.

No wonder she felt a bit chilly when she got up this early morning.

Just then, Bennett emerged from the gym, the beads of sweat on his forehead tracing down his face from his exercise.

Claudia could feel the residual heat emanating from his body. When she looked at him, her gaze inadvertently shifted to his biceps, her cheeks betraying a blush as she recalled the intimate moments shared the night before.

Feeling a nervous flutter, she averted her eyes and inquired, “Are you going to take a shower?"