"Mr. Dreskin, have you considered which hotel to book for the wedding?"

"I'LL discuss it with Claudia and let you know.

"Understood. I'll get back to my tasks."

Bennett gave a nod of approval.

Once Jackson had left, Bennett found himself staring at his watch once more.

Clearly, his wife knew what she was doing.

Claudia had been at the piano for six hours. By four in the afternoon, she texted Bennett and then changed into a swimsuit for some swimming time.

She couldn't tell if it was all in her head, but since the car accident, she felt like her physical stamina had taken a hit, and her abs seemed less toned.

Earlier, she'd asked Bennett whether dinner would be at home or out, given he'd mentioned a night out.

He'd opted for a home-cooked meal, so Claudia decided not to give the housekeeper, Marcia, the evening off.

This was why Claudia felt at ease donning her swimsuit and heading to the pool.

She aimed to swim until around 5 p.m., take a brief respite by the pool, shower, and wait for Bennett to return from work.

What Claudia didn't foresee was Bennett coming home ahead of his usual schedule.

The moment she saw him by the pool, she stuck her head out of the water, her cheeks flushing a delightful shade of pink.

"You came back early today," Claudia remarked.

"The maid mentioned you've been swimming for an hour. Haven't you taken a break?" he asked, leaning over and extending his hand to help her out of the pool.

Instinctively, Claudia placed her hand in Bennett's. As her hand rested in his palm, a description of the hero from the novel she had read flashed in her mind.

“His pure white shirt was slightly damp, with a thin layer of sweat seeping through, accentuating his already perfect physique."

Claudia looked up at Bennett, a mischievous idea forming.

“It's quite hot. Would you like to cool off a bit?"

She was curious about how he would look with his shirt wet.

Claudia blushed, battling with her desires.

Bennett gazed down at her, clearly not comprehending her intentions.

"Cool off?"