Attractive? Not very, but cold and provoking (8)
I believe the answer is:
inciting
'provoking' is the definition.
(inciting is a kind of provoking)
I can't explain the remainder of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for inciting that I've seen before include "Provoking or stirring up" , "Encouraging or stirring up, violence perhaps" , "Urging to action" .)