Page 32 of Clashing with the Ice Queen

“Hi, Viv!” Cassandra said, forcing a smile. “It’s been a long day. Can you come over? I could really use some company and a glass of wine.”

“Lucky for you, I am in the city. I’ll be there in twenty minutes,” Vivienne replied eagerly.

Cassandra set her phone down, her heart feeling a little lighter. She wandered back to her living room and took a moment to admire the sleek, modern decor. The stylish room felt empty, pointless, and excessive.

As she waited for Vivienne, Cassandra reflected on her life. She’d built a successful fashion company, but today, that success felt hollow. Nadine’s words echoed in her mind:You use your cold persona to protect yourself. Was that true?

Cassandra had always prided herself on being strong and independent. She’d faced challenges in the fashion industry and had risen to the top. But as she thought about her relationship with Nadine, she realized how walls could isolate someone just as much as they could protect them. Emotional intimacy was not as easy as a business endeavor.

When the doorbell rang, Cassandra perked up. She opened the door to find Vivienne standing there, a bottle of red wine in one hand and a smile on her face.

“Cassandra! You look like you need a good talk,” Vivienne said, stepping inside and embracing her friend.

Cassandra felt a lump in her throat but nodded, grateful for Vivienne’s presence. “Would you like some wine?”

“Absolutely!” Vivienne said, moving toward the kitchen.

“So, what was it like falling for Alex?” Cassandra asked as soon as they had full glasses in hand. She knew that Vivienne had a vibrant persona and was often at the center of attention, unlike Alex Carter, the retired snowboarding champion who preferred to remain in the shadows. Vivienne smiled at the mention of her wife’s name, nostalgia in her eyes.

“It was...complicated, to say the least,” Vivienne replied, taking a sip of her wine. “If Mother Nature hadn’t stepped in, I’m not sure we would even be together.”

Cassandra raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “What do you mean?”

Vivienne leaned back, a fond smile lingering on her lips. “It was during a terrible winter storm a few years ago. I was driving through a small Colorado town, trying to escape for the holiday season. Suddenly, my car broke down right in the middle of nowhere. No cell service, no map, nothing. I was stuck in a winter storm.”

Cassandra nodded, imagining the scene. She could picture the icy roads and swirling snow that would make anyone feel stranded and alone.

“Just when I thought things couldn’t get worse,” Vivienne continued, “this figure appeared out of the snow. It was Alex. She’d driven past and noticed my car. She probably would have kept going, but she always had a soft spot for people in trouble.”

Cassandra felt a grin forming on her face. “What did you do?”

Vivienne chuckled softly. “I had to stay in her cabin with her. I would have died out there. I might have been a bit frosty myself. And Alex was certainly not fond of me in the firstinstance. But there was this incredible sexual chemistry between us right from the start. It was like the universe wanted us to meet. I’d never met anyone like her before.”

“Did sparks fly immediately?” Cassandra asked, leaning forward. She was feeling the warmth of the wine and the excitement of hearing about her friend’s love story.

Vivienne hesitated for a moment, a mischievous twinkle appearing in her eye. “I’d say there was definitely chemistry. I mean, come on, she’s an ex-Olympic snowboarder. She has this killer confidence and a quiet strength that just pulls you in. And, well yes. We had a LOT of sex and it was totally off the charts hot!”

Cassandra couldn’t help but laugh. “Sounds like you were hooked right away!”

“I was!” Vivienne admitted, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. “But at the same time, I was feeling conflicted. I came back to the city. We were both so very different and lead different lives. Alex didn’t want to be in the spotlight, and I was so used to it. It was a tug-of-war between our different worlds.”

Cassandra leaned back, reflecting on that. Their friendship had its roots in a blend of differences. “So, you were snowed in? Stranded… with nothing to do, but have more sex?” she asked, with a teasing lilt in her voice.

Vivienne’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Oh, exactly! There was tension between us from the beginning. It was like our competitive natures just collided.” She laughed again, shaking her head. “I remember thinking,What’s happening here? But we couldn’t ignore the chemistry, and yes, there was a LOT of sex.”

Cassandra felt warmth surge through her. “But how did you make it work when you came back to the city? How did you decide it was more than just sex, that you would try and make a relationship work?”

“It took a lot of internal debating really,” Vivienne admitted, her gaze drifting to the window as if she were recalling those early days. “We were falling for each other while trying to figure out how to merge our worlds. I think I became addicted to Alex’s body. It was wild, like she missed the thrill she felt when she was performing or competing. But at the same time, I was falling for the person behind the athlete. And I knew I was, really, if I let myself admit it. When I came back to the city alone, I felt heartbroken”

Cassandra smiled, feeling the passion in Vivienne’s voice. “It sounds intense. What was that first moment like, when everything shifted?”

Vivienne chuckled and held her wine glass tighter, as if savoring the memory. “It’s hard to remember exactly.” She paused, letting the memory wash over her. “I just know that we both pushed each other away too many times and felt like crap after. When she came to the city to find me, then I knew.”

Cassandra sighed dreamily, swept up in the image Vivienne painted. “Then you knew for sure?”

“Exactly,” Vivienne said, a gentle smile crossing her lips. “From that moment on, we were in it together. It was exciting and terrifying, but mostly just real. And I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

As they shared stories and laughs late into the evening, Cassandra felt grateful for their friendship. Vivienne’s journey with Alex reminded her of how love could blossom from the most unexpected moments, fueled by spontaneity and a deep connection.

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