Chapter 261:
She blinked in surprise. “Family privileges? Whose family am I supposed to be?”
Brad glanced at her, his look speaking volumes. “What do you think? Aren’t you my girlfriend?”
“When did I become…” Rylie froze, remembering the moment she had tricked Selah, and suddenly found herself at a loss for words. “Do we really need to use ‘family privileges’? People might misunderstand.”
“Does it bother you?” Brad’s gaze dimmed slightly. “Using my family status allows the hospital to be registered quickly and securely. The military trusts it. And it even gives you access to the warship.”
She thought it over and couldn’t find a reason to argue. Finally, she accepted this unexpected role. Just as she was about to open the door to get out, Brad suddenly reached out to stop her.
“What is it?” she asked.
He leaned back, grabbed a jacket, and draped it over her shoulders. “The sun’s harsh out.”
The jacket carried a clean pine scent. She was about to remove it, but then he lowered his voice. “Or do you want those soldiers to keep staring at your legs?” His breath was close, and his eyes sharp. “Rylie, don’t you realize how stunning you are?”
Even he found it hard to look away, so he could only imagine what the others must be thinking. The idea alone made his jaw clench.
“You’re being a little too controlling about my body,” Rylie said, her tone calm but firm.
Brad hesitated. Then he looked down slightly and softened his voice. “Please wear it.”
She pressed her lips together for a moment and then said, “Alright.”
With his jacket on her shoulders, they walked side by side toward the logistics department. Along the way, soldiers training in the yard paused to salute. “Good morning, Sir! Good morning, Ma’am!”
The shouts were so loud they startled her mid-step. Brad reached out to steady her, his voice carrying a trace of amusement. “They’re just being cheeky.”
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They had barely reached the entrance to the logistics department when Brad’s phone lit up with an encrypted call. He answered it quickly, his brow tightening as he listened. “Understood. I’ll head there now.”
Rylie looked at Brad and said, “If something urgent came up, go take care of it. I can handle things on my own.”
Brad’s voice was deep and steady. “The offshore oilfield meeting was moved up, and I need to handle some strategic deployments. If you need anything, ask the logistics department or the female military medics. I’ve already left instructions.”
Rylie nodded. “Alright.”
After he left, a female soldier stepped forward and extended her hand with a bright smile. “I’m Hattie Nash. Nice to meet you, Miss Owen. I’ll be showing you around the ship today.”
Rylie shook her hand, then followed Hattie through the logistics checkpoint. She underwent a full-body inspection to confirm she wasn’t carrying any restricted items. Once cleared, Hattie led her outside. “The ship is at the outer harbor,” Hattie said. “We’ll take military transport there. I heard you were interested in the fleet’s medical system, so this visit was arranged just for that.”
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