Chapter 1002:
The six teams lined up along the pool’s edge.
The host declared, “All right, you have one minute to study each other, then turn back-to-back, and I will begin the questions.”
At his instruction, the six pairs faced their temporary partners. Kristen had to lift her chin a little to meet Brad’s eyes.
They stood barely half a meter apart, and it was the first time she had confronted him at such close range without averting her gaze.
Illuminated by the light reflecting off the water, Brad’s sharply cut features appeared even more defined, his clear eyes, strong nose, and firm mouth commanding her full attention.
A warm, sun-bronzed tone colored his skin, evidence of long years spent undergoing demanding military drills. His eyes, even more striking when viewed up close, regarded her with an even, unreadable calm, directed solely by the demands of the game. It held neither the subtle affection he offered Rylie nor the cool disdain he turned on Frank—only a composed, almost clinical focus.
Still, that steady attention sent a jolt through Kristen’s heartbeat.
𝘍𝗶𝗇𝘥 nov𝗲𝘭 𝘗𝘋𝘍𝗌 о𝗇 𝘨𝘢𝗹𝗇𝘰vе𝗹𝘀.𝖼𝘰𝘮
She could not pretend otherwise. Brad’s attractiveness had nothing to do with the delicate, polished style most people admired, but instead with a bold, commanding magnetism that drew every eye to him at once.
The irritation she had nursed earlier wavered, eclipsed by the force of his presence. A light heat crept across her cheeks, and although instinct urged her to glance aside, something inexplicable held her in place, making her examine him even more intently.
Brad, on the other hand, only needed perhaps ten seconds to look her over. For the remainder of the allotted time, he seemed absorbed in his own thoughts.
“Time is up. Everyone, turn back-to-back,” the host called out.
Brad shifted immediately, presenting his broad back as a solid barrier between them.
She rotated at a slower pace, her pulse still thudding wildly from their brief exchange. Her fingers tightened against her palm as she fought to smother the unsettling rush of attraction, mentally chastising herself for reacting to Brad at all. Especially him—the man who had embarrassed her and constantly overshadowed Frank.
“All right, first question!” the host announced eagerly. “What shape are the girls’ earrings?”
Without missing a beat, Brad’s deep, steady voice replied, “Hoops, with diamonds.”
The host’s gaze shifted to Kristen. “Miss Fowler, is that right?”
Astonished, Kristen lifted a hand to her ear. The Montclair diamond hoops were exactly as he described, tucked out of sight beneath the soft fall of her curls.
In this dim, shifting light, he had managed to notice them? He had truly been paying that much attention to her?
“That is correct,” Kristen replied, her tone carrying a dry edge.
Brock, who had also answered correctly, leaned closer and murmured, “There’s no need for jealousy, Dr. Owen. This is merely a baseline skill required of every scout. While mastery varies, Brad isn’t the kind to be captivated by attractive women.”
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