Look that’s direct, yet at once cold, somehow (3,7)
I believe the answer is:
eye contact
'look that's direct' is the definition.
(looking directly at someone)
'yet at once cold somehow' is the wordplay.
'cold' becomes 'C' (eg on taps).
'somehow' indicates anagramming the letters.
'yet'+'at'+'once'+'c'='yetatoncec'
'yetatoncec' with letters rearranged gives 'EYE CONTACT'.
(Other definitions for eye contact that I've seen before include "Communication" , "direct observation?" , "shared vision" , "Exchange of views" .)