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reflection in the mirror. Jake would tell her if the dress had the desired effect. Besides, she owed him an apology.
    His boat was in the slip when she arrived a short time later. Lily had never visited him without an invitation and felt uneasy about doing so now.
    “Jake,” she called from the dock. “Are you there?” The boards rolled slightly under her high heels and Lily had to brace herself. “Jake,” she repeated louder, hugging her full-length coat close to her.
    “Coming.” His tone sounded irritated and he was frowning as he stuck his head out from belowdecks. He stopped when he saw it was Lily and smoothed a hand through his thick hair. “Hi.” Slowly he came topside. “What are you doing here? And why in heaven’s name are you wearing that ridiculous coat?”
    Lily glanced down over the long wool garment that had once belonged to Gram and felt all the more silly. “Gram won five hundred dollars at bingo last night. I bought a new dress and want your opinion on it. Can I come aboard?”
    “Sure.” Jake didn’t sound nearly as eager as she’d hoped he would.
    She lifted the gray wool coat from her shoulders and let it slip down her arms. “What do you think?” she asked. “Be honest now.” One glance at Lily in that beautiful dress, and Jake could barely take his eyes off her. She looked sensational—a knockout.
    “I … I didn’t know if you’d want to see me,” she continued.
    “Why wouldn’t I?” His answer was guarded, his words quiet. Still he couldn’t take his eyes from her.
    “I feel terrible about yesterday.”
    “It’s no problem.” He reached out his hand in silent invitation for her to join him, and Lily deftly crossed the rough wooden dock to his polished deck.
    “Gram insisted I buy something new. How do you like it?”
    “I like it fine,” he murmured, doing his best to avoid eye contact. “You look great, actually.” That had to be the understatement of the century.
    “Do you honestly think so?” she asked excitedly.
    Jake smiled. “You look really nice.”
    “That’s sweet,” she said softly. “Thank you.”
    “Think nothing of it.” With a sweep of his arm, he invited her below. “Do you want a cup of coffee?”
    “Sure.” She paused to remove her shoes and handed them to Jake. “Would you put these someplace where I won’t forget them?”
    “No problem.” He went down before her and waited at the base of the ladder in case she needed help. One bare foot appeared on the top rung of the ladder and the side split in the skirt revealed the ivory skin of her thigh as the next foot descended. Jake felt his heart constrict. He sighed with relief as she reached the bottom rung and turned around to face him, eyes sparkling.
    “I’ll get you a cup,” he announced, disliking the close confines of his cabin for the first time. Lily seemed to fill up every inch of available space, looming over him with that alluring scent of hers.
    “How’s the writing going?”
    “Good.” It wasn’t. Actually he’d faced writer’s block all day, and determined that it was Lily’s fault. He didn’t like what was happening between them and yet seemed powerless to stop it.
    “Heard any more from Rex?”
    “No.” Lily slid into the tight booth that served as a seat around the kitchen table. “I won’t see him again,” she told him. “I promised you I wouldn’t.”
    “Someone else will come along.” And soon, he hoped. The quicker Lily found herself a sugar daddy, the better it would be for him.
    “I know.” She smiled up at him briefly as he set the mug on the table.
    He didn’t join her, fearing that if he slid into the seat beside her, they might accidentally brush against each other. And the thought of touching Lily while she looked so tempting in that dress shook Jake. It would be the attic all over again and he knew he wouldn’t be able to stop himself. As it was now, he could barely tear his eyes from her. She lifted her mug and blew against