What the hell? It was too early for Jules to have screwed anything up at work. There could be a thousand reasons, but only one kept running around in Jules’s head: was Vivian having second thoughts about making their relationship physical?

Her palms began to sweat. This was no good. The cold shoulder sucked. Wasn’t Vivian the one who wanted to be forthright about things?

Maybe she would be as soon as they were alone—more forthright than Jules wanted her to be. It was a mistake, Julia. It can’t happen again.

She gave the usual stream of instructions and commands, her voice calm and unwavering as ever. Jules scrambled to keep up, but she couldn’t help noticing that Vivian didn’t look at her for the whole car ride.

By the time they got to Koening, Jules’s glow of anticipation had turned entirely into apprehension, and she was almost dreading the elevator ride to the office. What would she say if Vivian dropped the bomb?

But once the elevator doors closed, Vivian didn’t round on her with apologies or accusations. She didn’t look at Jules either. Instead she said in a faintly strained voice, “How was your Sunday?”

“Fine,” Jules said, surprised. Even now, Vivian hardly ever made small talk. “I, uh, brainstormed for the Modernity article.”

Then she wished she hadn’t said that. It felt like the first step on a road Jules didn’t want to travel right now.

“Mm,” Vivian replied. At least she didn’t want to follow up.

“What about you?” Jules prodded. “Anything go wrong with work? I’m assuming so—uh, I mean, you’d have called me if everything wasn’t okay with work.”

“Of course I’d have called you.” Vivian’s voice was hoarse and too loud for the subject matter. She seemed to realize this, and her cheeks went red.

Jules’s eyes went wide.

Vivian’s cheeks went redder.

Oh.

“I thought about you a lot yesterday,” Jules said, feeling the beginnings of a smile.

“That’s enough,” Vivian replied at once, standing ramrod straight. Not straight enough to disguise her shiver, though.

Jules pressed her lips together to hide her grin. So that was why Vivian couldn’t look her in the eye. She wasn’t regretting anything. She wanted more. “Sorry. Sort of.”

“Be appropriate today, Julia.” Vivian’s voice was razor-sharp. “The last thing I need is some insinuating, giggling…”

That got rid of Jules’s grin right away. She stared in disbelief.

Thankfully, Vivian trailed off.

“Of course,” Jules said pointedly. Like she’d ever be that dumb. Wearing sexy clothes to work was one thing. Looking all moon-eyed at the boss was something else, and Jules knew it. And Vivian knew that Jules knew it.