The Ice King’s Weakness

Chapter Seven – One Room

Elena’s POV

It was supposed to be a quick overnight trip.

A meeting with a potential investor in Toronto, one dinner, and back to the city by morning. Easy.

Except a thunderstorm decided to prove me wrong.

By the time we reached the hotel, half the flights out had been canceled, and the lobby was crammed with irritated travelers trying to get a room. I stood at the check-in desk beside Adrian, trying to will my patience to last.

“I’m sorry, sir,” the receptionist said, tapping at her keyboard. “We only have one suite left.”

I blinked. “One suite?”

“Yes. King bed.”

I waited for Adrian to argue, to demand they make a miracle happen. But instead, he simply slid his black card across the counter. “We’ll take it.”

We?

The elevator ride up was silent, except for the occasional rumble of thunder outside. He didn’t look at me once, and I wasn’t sure if I was relieved or annoyed.

When we got to the room, I dropped my bag by the door and took in the space—modern, sleek, and far too intimate. The bed looked like it belonged in a magazine spread. Unfortunately, it was also the only bed.

“I’ll take the couch,” I said, heading toward it.

“There’s no couch,” he replied, already removing his jacket.

I turned. He was standing by the bed, unbuttoning his cuffs. “Then I’ll take the floor.”

“No, you won’t.” His voice was firm, final. “We’re adults." We can share without incident.”

I arched a brow. “Confident, aren’t you?”

His eyes locked on mine. “Extremely.”

For the rest of the night, I kept to my side of the bed. I read emails. I scrolled my phone. I did everything but acknowledge the fact that the Ice King was lying beside me, one arm tucked behind his head, chest rising and falling in an easy rhythm.

But somewhere between the sound of rain on the windows and the faint scent of his cologne, my eyelids grew heavy. And just before I drifted off, I could have sworn I felt his fingers brush my hair—light, almost hesitant.

Almost.