Melting the Ice King

idn't

second.

women like her did

ol, crisp, controlled. "It's a

ed on her. Un

eact

fli

nowled

same gla

move. Nei

between them. Rome, presse

e remembered the

he remembered

" he said. "Efficienc

t them," s

hine with r

her presence with tha

he said, voice

wallowing past the sudde

" she repl

he chair. No smi

ase

d herself into the leather seat. The moment her skirt touched the cushion,

d his fingers, long, deliberate turn the folder towar

e crackled softly f

our nine-thi

t move.

held her

on on his tablet, and

ed back

l we

odded

cour

he folder.

d via internal refe

he and I collaborated o

your discretion," he

directly. The briefest hint of

is vital i

inclined

derst

h to show something stirred beneath the sur

cheduling for five simultaneous board meetings wi

. Reached into

s, thirty-minute blocks, to accommodate overruns. When conflicts arose, I negotiated adjustments directl

steady. When she f

icie

d the pa

room felt smaller with each exchange, the windows' view of

single personal question. No hint of the nigh

-if avoiding her history was his

usiness wit

en them said that ru

e closed t

period," he said. "Your start date is Mo

pen, paused. Then p

speak, thank him, clarify

er, expression

will b

st

gs fel

d was h

ou," she

dn't

t offer

er as though measuring every st

to the door once, t

," she sa

ooke

es

lse po

ciate the o

ined hi

retion. Result

l have

en she

closed be

hest

hush swallowe

head, the flicker in his jaw, the way he'd ke

gainst the w

ng taut and ele

an roared as if