I turned and found my teammate standing a few doors away and several feet down the hall, a smile on his face like he’d just won the lottery. “Eilish, hand me my phone so I can get this on camera. This is the stuff YouTube was invented for.”

Wait, Eilish?

It was then that I became aware of the tall, willowy redhead standing next to him. I made eye contact with her and her lips parted in surprise as they traveled lower, taking in my appearance. For the first time in a long time, a measure of self-consciousness had me standing straighter. And, in spite of the circumstances, a swell of attraction stirred within me.

Fact: I found her incredibly alluring and beautiful.

Also fact: I wasn’t allowed to have her.

Therefore, fact: it was painful to endure.

“What is that?” Sean lifted his chin toward my mug.

I glowered at my mate. “Mint tea.”

Sean laughed, looking as pleased as I’d ever seen him.

Karma is a wanker and so is Sean Cassidy.

“Are you really holding a mug of mint tea and complaining to the neighbors about the noise?” Sean asked in amusement, tutting. “I thought you were thirty, not seventy-five.”

“It’s too loud,” I said gruffly, glancing at him before my attention returned to Eilish. She no longer looked surprised. Now her lips twitched as though she was holding back a smile as amused as the one Sean was sporting.

“Is that a housecoat?” she asked, one side of her mouth tilting up.

My hand not holding the mug went to my hips as I answered curtly, “Yes.”

“I didn’t realize they still made those,” she continued, full on smiling now. Sean chuckled.

I arched a brow, unable to stop myself as I asked quietly, “Would you like me to remove it?”

She ignored the question, her cheeks heating a little, and nodded to the door right as it slammed shut. “Looks like they aren’t going to uphold your request.”

I swore, then turned and started thumping again, but they didn’t answer this time. I let out an irritable sigh, my shoulders slumping as I headed back to my apartment, her light, musical laugh trailing after me and causing my steps to falter.

Damn. Even her laugh is lovely.

This attraction for Eilish was . . . inconvenient. It was also a temptation I wasn’t willing to test any time soon. I needed to get away from her. Unfortunately, Sean Cassidy wasn’t the kind of person to let this amount of personal humiliation go without utilizing it.

“Why don’t you call the building’s management company and make an official complaint?” he suggested. “Show those pesky kids who they’re messing with.”

“Go home, Sean,” I replied in a bored voice as I stepped inside my apartment. In my hurry to give the neighbors what for, I’d left the door open. Before I could slam it in Sean’s face, he followed me in, Eilish heavy on his heels, though she did seem reluctant to come inside. It was expected. For whatever reason, I got the sense that she didn’t like me, or was wary of me.

I hated how it only made me want to change her mind.

“Aren’t you going to offer us some refreshments?” Sean inquired, still grinning like the cat that got the cream.

“No, because I never invited you in. This is a home invasion.”

His eyes flashed to Eilish. “How exciting! What do you think, Eilish? Shall we strip him naked, tie him up, and steal his valuables?”

I shot Sean a contemptuous look. “And why would I need to be naked?”

Sean winked at his cousin. “For Eilish’s delectation, of course. Not only is she a burglar, she’s also a bit of a perv.”

“Sean!” Eilish exclaimed. Her gaze came to me. “Don’t listen to him. He’s just being aggravating, like usual.” Color flushed her cheeks, and it caught my interest. Was she embarrassed?

I took a step closer, tilting my head and studying her through my spectacles.

“Man, there’s nothing to eat here,” said Sean, distracting me from Eilish as he rifled through my kitchen. “Good God, man. Are those dried prunes? You really are on old codger, Leech. I bet you write in letters of complaint to the BBC about the inappropriate amount of leg shown on Strictly Come Dancing.”

I groaned. He really wasn’t going to let this lie. “Can you please quit bothering me and leave? I need to find some earplugs so I can get back to my book.” And the longer Eilish remained in my apartment, the harder it was for me not to engage her. It wasn’t simply that I found her beautiful. I wanted to get to know her, who she was, what made her tick. It was a new and unexpected predicament. There was just something about her that felt familiar, like I’d known her in another life.

Movement out of the corner of my eye had me turning toward her, and I saw her step up to the coffee table, her gaze scanning the title of my book. Her lips twitched again when she glanced back at me. There was something new in her expression, a warmth that hadn’t been there before. Up until now, all I’d gotten was icy cold.

The warmth felt far too exhilarating for something so minuscule.

She held my gaze for a second longer, then went to pull Sean away from my cupboards. “Come on, let’s quit torturing Mr. Leech and leave him to his evening.”

“Oh? Did you hear that? Mr. Leech.” Sean’s eyebrows jumped high on his forehead.

Eilish almost rolled her eyes. Almost. “Come off it, Sean.”

My teammate relented, though still grinned widely, as he allowed her to lead him to the door. “I can’t wait to tell the lads all about this in the morning.”