Emily left the shop, flushed from head to toe. She kept her gaze fixed on the harbor. “Lisa seems worried.”

“Does she? The moment you started licking that ice cream, my mind went blank. I was thinking about your tongue and all the things I could do with that ice cream. All of them involved your naked body.” He spoke in a low voice and then cleared his throat. “Good morning, Hilda. I didn’t see you there.”

“Ryan. Emily. It’s a beautiful day. Have you caught the sun?” She peered at Emily. “You’re looking red. This may not be the Caribbean, but don’t make the mistake of thinking you can’t burn here. Water intensifies the sun’s rays.”

“She has fair skin,” Ryan said smoothly, “but I’ll make sure she buys sunscreen later.” He turned and winked at Emily who knew she was the color of a tomato.

“Sunscreen. Great idea.” She tried desperately to change the subject. “You were right about the ice cream, Hilda. It’s delicious.”

“Best ice cream in Maine. Breaks my heart to see the girl struggling, especially with those two young children. In my opinion it was unfair of May Newton to sell her the business in the first place.” Hilda’s mouth flattened into a thin line of disapproval. “She knew it was in trouble. No one can make the place pay. It’s had five owners in as many years.”

Emily frowned. “Five owners?”

“You can’t sell enough ice cream in the summer months to keep a family going over the winter.” Hilda waved at someone on the other side of the harbor. “I’ll leave you two to finish your ice cream.” She moved away, and Emily sagged against the wall of the shop.

“Do you think she knew?”

“That I was talking dirty to you five seconds before she arrived? Probably. She doesn’t miss much.”

“I’m going to have to move back to the mainland.”

“Hilda had six children of her own, so I doubt that sex is a mystery to her. You have ice cream at the corner of your mouth. Am I allowed to lick it away?”

“Only if you don’t mind being punched in public.”

“I never object to a physical relationship, and it would do you good to rediscover some of those emotions you’ve been blocking out.” His eyes were hooded, his voice low, and she felt her insides melt faster than the ice cream.

Flirting was as alien to her as all the other emotions swirling inside her. She tried desperately to change the subject. “Is it true that Summer Scoop is in trouble? That the place has had five owners in as many years?”

His smile told her he knew exactly what she was doing. “Yeah, that part is true.”

“So you think Lisa made a mistake buying the business?”

He shrugged. “One person’s mistake is another person’s adventure.”