Chapter 6: Convincing Himself

Ethan woke up with a headache.

The kind that came from a restless night, from thoughts that tangled themselves into knots and refused to unravel. The moment he blinked into consciousness, the memories of last night came crashing in like a wave—Sienna’s voice, the moans, the unmistakable sounds of pleasure slipping through the too-thin walls.

And worse—his name, whispered like a secret between the rustling sheets.

He groaned, running a hand over his face. Don’t overthink it.

Dragging himself out of bed, Ethan shuffled into his tiny kitchen and turned on the coffee maker. He needed caffeine. He needed distraction. He needed to stop thinking about his neighbor and the way she had sounded in the dark.

By the time the bitter aroma filled the air, he had almost convinced himself that he had misheard it. That his sleep-deprived brain had been playing tricks on him. Maybe she hadn’t said his name at all—maybe the coincidence was just too perfect, and his subconscious had filled in the gaps.

Yeah. That made sense.

Because what was the alternative? That Sienna wanted him to hear her? That she had deliberately moaned his name just to mess with his head?

No. It was ridiculous.

She was just dating. That was all. A woman like Sienna would obviously have a boyfriend. Or several. She was confident, gorgeous, effortlessly sexy. It wasn’t surprising that she had company late at night.

And really, why did he even care?

Ethan took a long sip of coffee, glaring at the floor as if it held the answers. He was being stupid. He barely knew her. Just because she’d teased him once, just because she was flirty, didn’t mean he had any claim to jealousy. He wasn’t jealous.

A knock on the door startled him, nearly making him spill his coffee. His heart jumped, but he forced himself to take a steady breath before setting the mug down and walking to the door.

When he opened it, his stomach flipped.

Sienna stood there, leaning casually against the frame, her blonde hair tousled like she had just rolled out of bed—or someone else’s bed. She was in tiny pajama shorts and an oversized shirt that hung off one shoulder, revealing smooth, sun-kissed skin. She smelled like vanilla and something darker, something smoky.

Ethan swallowed hard, gripping the door handle to keep himself steady.

“Morning, neighbor,” she purred, a lazy smile curling her lips. “Didn’t wake you, did I?”

He coughed, suddenly hyper-aware of the warmth in his face. “Uh, no. I was already up.”

She tilted her head, studying him in that way that made him feel exposed. “Good. I wanted to ask if you had any sugar. I ran out, and I need it for my coffee.”

Ethan blinked, his brain struggling to process something as normal as borrowing sugar when just hours ago, she’d been—

Stop thinking about it.

“Yeah, um… hold on.” He turned, stepping into his kitchen to grab the sugar jar. His hands felt clumsier than usual, and he nearly knocked over his own coffee cup in the process. Get it together.

When he returned to the door, she was still standing there, watching him with quiet amusement. He held out the sugar. “Here.”

Instead of taking it right away, she let her fingers brush against his as she accepted it. The touch was fleeting, but it sent an uninvited shiver up his arm.

“Thanks,” she said softly, her lips curling into a smirk.

Ethan cleared his throat, stepping back, needing space. “No problem.”

She didn’t move right away. Instead, she looked past him, her gaze flicking toward the window in his living room. “So… how are you settling in? Still enjoying the peace and quiet?”

Ethan tensed. Was she messing with him? Did she know what he had heard?

“It’s fine,” he said quickly. “I mean, the walls are kind of thin, but—”

His stomach dropped the second the words left his mouth. Idiot.

Sienna’s smile widened. “Oh? Have you been hearing things, Ethan?”

His face burned. “No—I just meant—like, normal apartment noises, you know? Pipes, footsteps, that kind of thing.”

She stepped a little closer, her bare feet making no sound against the floor. “Mmm. Good to know.”

Ethan needed to end this conversation before he completely lost his ability to function. “Well, uh… enjoy the sugar.”

Sienna gave him one last knowing look before taking a step back into the hallway. “Thanks, sweetheart. See you around.”

And with that, she turned and walked back to her apartment, leaving him standing there with his pulse hammering and his mind racing.

The moment he shut the door, he leaned against it, exhaling sharply.

It was nothing. She was just dating. She had a boyfriend, or maybe a fling.

It had nothing to do with him. It was none of his business.

So why did it feel like she had just pulled him into a game he didn’t understand?

And worse—why did he want to play?