Disclaimer:
I own nothing, just borrowing for a little while.
Also got the idea for the title from a Garth Brooks song.
This is a fic centering on Harvey, Donna, and Harvey's younger brother - who takes a liking to Donna. Not 100% sure exactly where this story will go, so please R & R, thanks!
Blood may be thicker than water, but love is thicker than blood.
Heaving a sigh of boredom and running a perfectly manicured hand over her forehead, Donna glanced at the clock for the thirty-seventh time. How could it only be 4.30? It felt like she'd been sitting here for days. Well, technically, she almost had been. They'd been so busy over the past couple of weeks she'd barely had time for anything other than work. Harvey was neck deep in a huge case that would mean a great deal to the firm if he won, and today was the decider - he'd been out most of the afternoon trying to close the client, gunning for a settlement. With him on the home stretch, she finally had time to breathe. Her thoughts wandered to the evening ahead, and she mentally dressed herself in the outfit that was set out in her bedroom, lingerie and all chosen, right down to the perfume that she'd wear. She had a date that evening, the first in a few weeks - not for lack of offers, of course, but there just hadn't been any time. But, while out for a few cocktails with her good friend Jules and some of her colleagues last Saturday, one of the guys had taken a bit of a shine to her, and she'd decided that yes, she would definitely make time for a date this week. She needed too. Some of the finer details were a bit hazy, she couldn't quite remember what he did – something to do with finance? – but he wasn't a lawyer, thank god - that's all she needed to know at this early stage. His name was… Hunter something, or Bentley. Something vaguely pretentious. But, he was good-looking in a manscaped kind of way, made a decent wage, possibly lacked a decent sense of humour, but whatever – those technicalities were irrelevant at this point, she was just looking forward to a few drinks, some male attention, and a good flirt.
She felt him before she saw him. Peeking up though hooded lids, she spotted Harvey sauntering down the corridor, associates shrinking out of his way. To the untrained eye, it looked like his regular arrogant walk and conceited expression, but Donna could tell from a mile away that this was a win. As he neared her, his smug grin was infectious, and she did her best to suppress a smile as he approached.
"Donna." He paused at her cubicle, resting an elbow on the desk.
"Harvey." She made an effort to finish typing the sentence she was on, before casually meeting his gaze.
They held the stare for a few seconds longer than necessary, then her eyes narrowed knowingly.
"Ohh… I recognize that look." she whispered surreptitiously. "That's the look that usually results in a new handbag for… yours truly!"
His grin broadened and his brow creased. "Please, Donna – you underestimate the size of this win."
Her eyes widened, mouth forming a small 'o'. "Really?! Does that mean… two…?" she mouthed the number and held up two fingers. Harvey pursed his lips and raised a brow in accession.
"If you play your cards right, could even be some matching heels." He threw a cheeky wink her way before heading into his office.
Donna loved the perks of working for Harvey.
It wasn't long before Jessica appeared, nodding politely to Donna as she entered Harvey's office to debrief him on the specifics of the afternoon. Donna listened in for the first ten minutes, but she could recite the details of this case in her sleep, and could guess exactly how the close had played out, so was soon bored, and wandered down to the associates lounge, where she bumped into Rachel refilling the coffee pot.
"So, good result for the dream team, huh?"
Donna shot Rachel a withering look. "Don't let Harvey hear you calling them that!"
Rachel laughed. "I know, I know. But Mike loves it, you should see how happy it makes him when I say that!"
Donna rolled her eyes. "It'd be hard not to see. That kid wears his emotions on his sleeve."
"Aww, but it's so cute, though."
"Not the word at the top of my list…" Donna feigned a dry retch, then gave a conciliatory smile and accepted the mug of coffee that Rachel handed her. "Anyway, what's the plans tonight?"
"Well, actually, Mike and I are going out for a couple of drinks to celebrate the win, and the end of this damn case! I've barely seen him since this started, I can't wait. You want to come with?"
"As much as I love third-wheeling, I have a date tonight."
Rachel's eyes widened with delight. "Tell me more!"
Shrugging carelessly, Donna flicked her hair back. "You know, same old story. Some guy who could not resist this-" hands gesturing the length of her body. "Not surprising, of course. So, I'll allow him to buy me drinks and dinner, let him do his best to sweep me off my feet, see where the night takes us."
Clapping her hands a couple of times, Rachel shook her head in disbelief at her friend's easy self-confidence, a longing sigh escaping her lips. "I want to be you."
"I know, honey. Every woman does."
"Donna! Get in here!"
She'd barely taken a seat back at her desk, when he called out. The opening notes of a Miles Davis tune turned her in her chair, and she obligingly entered the office just as Harvey carefully closed the lid to the record player.
"I want you to celebrate with me."
"Hmm. Nothing to do with the fact that Mike has other plans this evening, I hope? You know I'm not very good at being second best." She warned him playfully.
"Really? I thought you'd be used it by now – we've worked together for so long, and we both know that I've always been number one." He joked, handing her a glass of scotch.
Donna crinkled her nose at him and accepted the drink, her fingers brushing against his, leaving her nerve endings singing. She took a small sip, the familiar burn a welcome relief in the aftermath of a crazy week.
"Congrats, Harvey. Big win for you today."
Acknowledging her comment with only a slight tilt of his head, and a smile tugging at the corner of his lips, he turned and walked over to the window.
"What can I say? Just another day in the life of the best closer in the city."
"Huh. Well, you know what they say… behind every great closer…" she adjusted her position so her reflection in the window stood just over his shoulder, gave a resolute toss of her hair, and arched a jaunty brow. They stared at each other for a long moment before bursting into laughter.
He turned again to face her, shaking his head with a smile. "Donna. What the hell would I do without you?"
She shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't think you'd ever want to find out."
Taking a seat on the couch, he followed suit, aware of the seriousness that had darkened her expression.
"So. What are we going to do about Daniel Hardman?"
Harvey's brow furrowed as he stared into his glass.
"Tonight – nothing. We're going to drink this, then a couple more, listen to some music – if you're lucky, I may even let you choose a song – we'll go home, sleep like babies. Then tomorrow, tomorrow – I'll deal with Hardman."
Donna smiled. "You're gonna kick his ass."
"In layman's terms, yes."
They sat in comfortable silence for a while, Harvey transfixed on the city lights, lost in his head; Donna transfixed on Harvey, lost in him.
General conversation soon stirred up again, and they laughed together over a couple more pours of scotch, in the easy way that only years of proximity can accomplish.
"Alright, Donna. Let's get you home. You know how much you need your beauty sleep." Harvey finally pushed himself up off the couch.
"Harvey." Donna placated him. "You know that this kind of beauty can't be achieved by sleep alone. Genetics. I can't help it if I'm a goddess among mere mortals."
She headed out to collect her things, and caught sight of her phone flashing. Shit. Seven missed calls. Oh my god! Her date! Her hand flew to her mouth in shock. She had completely forgotten about him! And now it was a half after midnight, too late to call and apologize.
Harvey appeared at her side. "Ok, let's go. Ray's waiting."
She stared down at her phone for a few moments longer, taking a deep breath. "Uh, sure, yeah, let's go."
She followed Harvey to the elevators, still reeling. How could she do that? She had been looking forward to this date all day – how could it have been pushed right out of her head like that? But she knew how.
Harvey.
Harvey made time stand still for her. He appears, and everything else just disappears. Becomes background noise. As soon as she wondered why she didn't feel more guilt for standing the guy up, the answer was already in her head. Because she had been with Harvey, and that was always where she'd rather be, over any other option. As soon as this admittance surfaced, she pushed it right back down. She didn't need to think about this right now, about Harvey. It was always worse after she'd had a few drinks. She snuck a sideways glance at him in the back of the car. Head tilted back, smile dancing on his lips, forehead furrowed, he was trying to pick the answer to whatever music trivia question Ray had just challenged him with.
"Four! Four albums, six number ones." Harvey burst out, definitively.
Donna sighed quietly and turned her head to the window, biting down firmly on her knuckle, using the vine of pain to swing her back to reality. This was not the time to start exploring the tangled mess of feelings that were linked to Harvey Specter. They were friends, good friends for sure, but just friends nonetheless, and that was that.
"And here we are." His voice slid through her reverie. "See you in the morning." The smile was accentuated in the intensity of his eyes, one which she couldn't quite return.
She thanked Ray, thanked Harvey, stepped out of the car, and sucked in the cold night air, sobering. She didn't look back, didn't dare. Entering her apartment, she mentally kicked herself for spending another evening with Harvey, for not being able to say no to him, for not wanting to, and for standing up a perfectly nice and normal guy, not for the first time. A vigorous splash of water on her face at the kitchen sink was followed by downing two shots of whiskey in quick succession, then she sipped the third. It raised a fire in her belly, which was only just enough to distract her from the wild thrum of her heart.