Page 9 of In Bed with the Ice Queen

Charles stroked his chin, studying the floor as if it held his answers. “I think she’ll rise or she’ll fall. Time will tell,” he replied. “But it will be interesting to see."

She nodded back, thinking of how exhilarating and terrifying it must be for Helena, standing where she did, making decisions that could change lives. “I guess we’re all just doing our best with what we’ve got, right?”

“Indeed,” Charles said, his voice warm. “And remember, it’s good to have someone like Helena out there shaking things up a bit.”

As she watched him carefully, Sloane couldn’t help but admire Charles. Years of experience had given him wisdom, and Sloane felt grateful to learn from him. “Do you think she’ll take us further?”

“We can only hope,” Charles said. “Because if not her, then who?”

Sloane smiled gently at him. “I believe that given the chance, Helena will.”

“Good. I appreciate your confidence in her,” he said, leaning back and letting out a deep sigh. “And in yourself as well. Don’t forget that.”

“Thanks, Charles,” Sloane said softly, feeling grateful. “But I can only do my best.”

As she watched him walk away, she turned back toward her desk. The meeting may have ended, but the reflections in her mind were just beginning. She thought about power and how sometimes it could be inherited, but also earned. Perhaps Helena was both skillful and lucky.

And hot. Helena was certainly hot. Sloane had always had a thing for fierce women. It never ended well.

"Why did I let myself get carried away?" Sloane muttered to herself as she gathered her things. Her desk was cluttered with papers and files that had been pushed aside during the meeting. She hurriedly shoved a few documents into her leather bag, the soft leather cool against her fingers. The memory of Helena’s piercing gaze struck her again. She had hit on Helena and Helena had shut her down.

But, she had caught the way Helena looked at her when she thought she wasn’t watching. There was something there, she was sure of it.

Outside, she entered the small parking garage reserved for employees. It felt like a maze of concrete, but Sloane effortlessly navigated to her special parking spot. It was hers, a small victory among many in her career. She smiled at the thought; at least one thing had gone right today. As she got into her SUV, the familiar scent of leather filled the air.

Driving through the city, she spotted a few homeless people huddled near a street corner. They wrapped themselves in tattered blankets, staring blankly as cars rushed by. She felt a tightness in her chest. It was a sharp contrast to the glass towers and rich contracts she had just left behind.

Her thoughts drifted back to the meeting. Helena looked as hot as hell in her tailored red suit, her sharp brown eyes slicing through any pretense. The merger was supposed to be straightforward, yet when they had adjourned, Sloane found herself alone with her thoughts, replaying her own words: “But what if we could help each other in more ways than just numbers and contracts?”

Sloane cringed. "Ugh, I came on way too strong." The embarrassment washed over her like cold water. Had she really just suggested that they could be more than just business partners? A voice in her head whispered that she had gotten carried away. Maybe it was Helena’s beauty or the way she commanded the room. As she merged onto the main road, Sloane recalled her conversation with Charles. He had said something snide about Helena’s position and how she only had it because of nepotism. At first, Sloane had defended Helena's capability as a new CEO, but now she felt a mix of annoyance and frustration building inside her.

It was hard to ignore Charles's words. He had a point about the competitive world of business, but why did she care what he thought? The more she reflected on her unprofessional attempts to connect with Helena, the angrier she felt. The city lights began to twinkle as she drove closer to home. The towering skyscrapers loomed over her, reminding her of how small she felt at that moment. Here I am, trying to bridge gaps while she just sits in her ivory tower acting like she owns the place, Sloane thought.

Helena’s icy demeanor mixed with her striking beauty made Sloane feel a mix of admiration and irritation. Why did she let itget to her? It was unprofessional to have acted like that in front of a colleague, especially someone who she was at odds with.

Just then, her phone buzzed loudly on the passenger seat, breaking her thoughts. It was a message from her friend Amelia: . “How did the meeting go?”

Sloane rolled her eyes. What could she say? She could opt for: “It was fine! Just fine.” But really, it had been a mess of conflicting feelings.

“What was I thinking?!” she grumbled aloud. “I was just doing my job, representing my client,” she said, her voice rising. She felt annoyed with herself for trying to be more than just a negotiator. Why did she have to blur the line? And why did she even want to connect with someone as arrogant as Helena?

Wild sex does solve a multitude of tensions. And Helena would be wild in bed. Absolutely.

Pulling into her driveway, Sloane took a moment to breathe before she sent a text back to Amelia: “It was…complicated.” She turned off the engine and sat in silence. “Tomorrow,” she promised herself, “I’ll focus on the merger and nothing else.” With that thought guiding her, she unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped out, ready to leave the chaos of the day behind her.

When she got indoors and locked the door behind her, she wanted to shake off the day’s frustrations. But the image of Helena, with her icy demeanor cloaked in waves of beauty, lingered like a stubborn guest. She was filled with a mixture of admiration and irritation, something Sloane couldn’t quite wrap her head around.

“Maybe I just need to focus on my clients,” she whispered to herself, as she set her bag down on the kitchen counter. “No more personal connections. Just business.”

With that thought anchoring her, she made a cup of tea, hoping it would help drown her uncertainties.

A little later, she cradled her empty cup of chamomile tea, savoring the last remnants of warmth. Sloane loved her quiet evenings at home after long hours at the law firm, yet tonight felt different. She sighed deeply, the noise echoing in the small, cozy room.

“Another day, another set of problems,” she murmured to herself, shaking her head as she set her cup down in the sink. She pushed away the thoughts of her day at work. Clients demanding results, endless paperwork—it was enough to make anyone feel drained.

She peeled off her crisp white blouse and slacks, tossing them onto a nearby chair. She padded into the bathroom, her bare feet feeling the cool tiles beneath her. As she turned on the shower, steam swirled around her like an embracing fog.

Under the warm spray, Sloane took a deep breath. She felt the tension in her shoulders slowly begin to melt away. She sighed with contentment as she lathered soap into her hands. The scent of lavender filled the air, helping to ground her thoughts. But soon, her mind wandered, and it drifted to a topic she often tried to avoid: her dating life.

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