There was no question that Jules’s boobs were her greatest asset, but one should never underestimate the element of surprise. Today she wore a black-and-white houndstooth skirt that ended just under her ass, matched with fleece-lined burgundy tights, a form-fitting black turtleneck, and black ankle boots. She might not be five foot ten with legs that went on for days, but based on Allie’s reaction, she was working it.

“You look amazing!” Allie said.

“Thanks.” Jules tossed her hair back over her right shoulder. “Just felt like doing something a little different today.”

“No wonder you were wearing a long coat. Wow.”

“Yeah.” Jules picked up the coffee cups. “This outfit is definitely not for street consumption.”

Then she carried in the coffee to Vivian, who looked at Jules like she was water in the desert.

Jules’s hands shook. With all her force of will, she steadied herself as she put one of the cups on Vivian’s desk.

“Who’s the other coffee for?” Vivian asked hoarsely.

Jules swallowed, meeting Vivian stare for stare. Why was it so hot in here? “Me, of course.” She paused. “I need it too.”

Vivian’s eyes fluttered shut for a moment. Her voice was thick and low. “You’d better have it, then.”

Her stomach flipped over.

Vivian opened her eyes. The blue of her irises, so often as cold as ice, seared through Jules like fire.

“I will,” she heard herself say. “Every drop.”

Vivian’s jaw clenched, and her eyes burned brighter.

She wondered for a second if they might go for it then and there. Then Vivian silently gestured for her to leave.

For the rest of the day, Vivian seemed to keep that fire banked. She gave orders in her usual brisk tone, strode to and from meetings, and eyed the latest samples with a critical gaze. At no other point did she look at Jules with more than professional disinterest.

It was so convincing, in fact, that Jules’s spirits began to flag. She’d spent the rest of the day being uber professional too, but she’d been fantasizing about exchanging hot glances with Vivian, building the smoldering tension between them in a way nobody else could see. It would have been such a thrill.

Oh well, Jules thought as she answered yet another phone call. I guess she’s just not that into it after all.

She didn’t learn differently until she arrived at Vivian’s for dinner, tired and a bit irritated. She’d spent the whole day trying not to tug her miniskirt farther down, and wearing the long, puffy coat on the subway had just made her sweat. So much for seductive office wear.

But when she entered the house and headed for the kitchen, Vivian called out from the den, “In here, Julia.”