Chapter [63]: A Tense Moment

The atmosphere between Claire and Lucas was filled with a tension that made her heart race uncontrollably. There was something in the air—an unspoken connection, made all the more intense by the subtle yet intoxicating scent coming from Lucas, which seemed to increase her pulse with every breath.

*Say something*, Claire thought to herself. She needed to break the silence, otherwise, all she could think about was the vivid memory of last night.

"Lucas... about last night—what happened?" she blurted out, her voice wavering slightly.

Lucas raised his eyes to meet hers, a flicker of surprise flashing across his usually stoic gaze. "Which part are you asking about?" he responded, his tone calm but curious.

"The phone call," Claire clarified, trying to sound casual. "Who was it? You talked for like, seven or eight minutes. And your expression kept changing—first happy, then worried."

Lucas's eyes narrowed slightly as he studied her face. "You really want to know who called? Why are you so curious?"

"Uh... what?" Claire stammered, taken aback. *What does he mean, why am I curious?*

"Because it interrupted us," Lucas said smoothly, his lips curling into a teasing smile. "Interrupted *you biting me, me biting you*—so you're upset and want to know, huh?"

Claire's face immediately flushed red, like a ripe tomato. "What? No! You... stop talking nonsense!" she protested, feeling her skin burn with embarrassment. *What biting? He was the one who...* "Forget it, if you don't want to tell me," she mumbled, hoping to end this increasingly awkward conversation. She had only asked about the call to break the tension, but now things felt even more uncomfortable. Her cheeks felt like they were about to burst into flames.

*Just eat. Eat quickly and get out of here,* she told herself, picking up her fork in a rush.

"Why are you eating so fast?" Lucas's calm voice drifted over from across the table, where he was now sitting casually, flipping through the morning paper. "You might choke like you did last night," he added, glancing at her. Then, almost as an afterthought, he said, "And don't forget to wear your wedding ring when we go out later."

Claire blinked in surprise, pausing mid-bite. "My wedding ring? But it's supposed to match yours, right?"

Lucas looked up, giving her a steady gaze. "Of course it does. That's the point. It's a wedding ring, after all."

Claire hesitated. "But if I wear it, everyone will know what's going on between us..." she trailed off, confused. He had been the one who initially insisted she *not* wear it. So why the sudden change?

"Wear it today. Just not during work hours."

She opened her mouth to ask more questions, but Lucas cut her off, his tone firm. "Stop talking and eat quietly."

Claire bit her lip and nodded, the words dying in her throat. *There he goes again*, she thought, rolling her eyes internally. *Who was that person casually chatting with me just a minute ago?*

---

Half an hour later, Lucas parked the car in front of an impressive, elegant building. Claire stepped out of the car, her eyes widening as she stared up at the large, dazzling sign above. The golden letters seemed to shimmer in the sunlight: *Cherry Blossom Photography.*

Her heart began to race. Even though Claire wasn't particularly familiar with many of the city's high-end establishments, she knew that *Cherry Blossom Photography* was the most prestigious wedding studio in the area. Helen Zeller, Lucas's mother, had mentioned it to her before, suggesting they come here to try on wedding dresses and take their wedding photos. But Lucas had always rejected the idea, and the conversation had quickly died down.

"Why are we here?" Claire asked, looking up at Lucas, her confusion deepening. Today, he was acting so strangely.

"To try on wedding dresses," Lucas said nonchalantly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Claire was completely stunned, her mind spinning. *Wedding dresses?* Was he serious? After all this time, was he actually changing his mind and considering giving her a real wedding after what happened last night?

"Are you going to stand there daydreaming all day, or are you coming in?" Lucas called out, already halfway into the shop, his hand extended toward her.

"Oh, I'm coming!" Claire snapped out of her daze, quickly rushing to his side and placing her hand in his. His warm, strong grip sent a wave of nervous anticipation through her. The idea of trying on a wedding dress, of being in Lucas's arms in those intimate photographs—it was enough to make her heart flutter uncontrollably. *Breathe in, breathe out*, she told herself. *Don't freak out.*

"Lucas, why are you two so late?" A familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

Claire turned to see Roy Lin emerging from behind a curtain. His tall, lean figure cut an impressive silhouette as he walked toward them with a teasing smile on his face.

Lucas smirked. "Someone overslept this morning, so we're a bit behind schedule."

"Lucas!" Claire protested, her face flushing pink again as she glared at him. From the corner of her eye, she could see Roy's knowing grin, and she wanted nothing more than to disappear into the floor.

"Haha, seems like your relationship has gotten a lot warmer in the past few days, huh?" Roy said, his sharp eyes catching sight of their still-joined hands.

Lucas shot Roy a look. "Are you getting too comfortable with your time off? Maybe I should cut your vacation short."

With that, Lucas released Claire's hand, and she felt a strange pang of disappointment as the warmth of his touch left her.

"Hey! No need to be so harsh!" Roy made a playful gesture of zipping his lips. "I'll shut up now."

"Are you here alone?" Lucas asked, changing the subject.

"No, my wife's trying on her wedding dress," Roy explained, nodding toward one of the VIP dressing rooms. Moments later, the door opened, and out stepped a woman so stunning it took Claire's breath away.

The woman's slim figure was accentuated perfectly by the fitted white gown she wore. The lace details along the neckline elegantly covered her chest in a way that was both tasteful and subtly alluring.

"Wow, you look beautiful," Claire couldn't help but murmur in admiration.

The woman's eyes lit up, and she walked over with a friendly smile. "You must be Lucas's girl, right?"

"What?" Claire blinked, caught off guard by the casual phrasing. *His girl?*

Roy burst into laughter while Lucas, standing beside Claire, couldn't help but twitch with mild irritation. Three faint lines formed on his forehead.

"She's Roy's wife, Lauren Wells, the bride for tomorrow's wedding," Lucas explained, introducing them. "And this is Claire Grace."

Lauren's expression shifted as she turned to Roy with mock outrage. "Are you saying I'm not pure-hearted?"

Roy laughed again, only to wince when Lauren playfully pinched his arm. Turning back to Claire, Lauren smiled apologetically. "Sorry about that, Claire. I'm used to talking that way, but I'll tone it down."

"No, it's fine!" Claire assured her, relieved. "I actually find your straightforwardness refreshing."

Lucas nodded toward Roy. "You two are nearly done, right? We're heading in now to try our own."

"Yeah, go ahead. I'll take Lauren to see where we'll be doing the photoshoot," Roy said, leading Lauren through a door on the right.