Five times Donna and Harvey text each other while on a date

…. one ….

H: I'm so bored

Donna rolls her eyes at her cell as she reads Harvey's text. She's not surprised to see a message from him though, he does this often, uses her as an outlet for the things he can't say out loud. He sends her all the little complaints or thoughts he has while trapped in client meetings, or court or even like tonight, while on a date with someone that doesn't capture his attention.

D: And here I thought a lingerie model would provide titillating conversation

H: That's not the type of tit I went on this date for and you know it

She groans out loud, knowing she walked right into that one with her word choice.

D: Well then, what are you complaining about?

H: Half an hour talking about shoes…..

She chuckles to herself. Harvey has very little patience for inane chatter, especially on a topic like footwear. Another series of texts appear on her screen.

H: Save me

H: Please

It's not the first time he's messaged her for help during a date. The truth is while her boss may be a world class manwhore she knows he doesn't actually enjoy the act of dating, the wining and dining, the forced conversation and testing questions. He doesn't enjoy it because he doesn't care about who they are, his only interest ever is in getting them into his bed. But some conquests require more work than others, like tonight's model who had insisted on dinner before any bedroom frivolities.

Grinning to herself she pulls up his number and dials. Loud obnoxious pop music fills her ears as Harvey answers.

"She must be unbearable if you're giving up the chance to bed a lingerie model," she teases him.

"What's that, a work emergency?" Harvey shouts loudly with a ridiculous level of fake concern. "I'll be right there."

After a flurry of muffled noises she hears him say to his date, "Sorry Hailey, work thing, I gotta go."

"It's Holly," the woman sneers in reply and Donna giggles loudly into the phone.

"Harvey," she admonishes him between bouts of laughter. "You really should remember your dates' names better," she pretends to chastise him. The loud music of the bar finally disappears as he moves outside.

"You know I'm not good with names."

"I guess who could learn a new one every night." She's having too much fun teasing him.

"Donna," he groans and she can picture the face he's undoubtedly making clear as day.

"Are you sure that's even my name?"

"I always remember the memorable ones," he volleys back, suddenly making her tongue tied, unable to reply. It's still too soon since that night for him to be making comments like that.

The steady sound of his breathing and general city noise fills the empty space and she can almost hear him smirking at having won a point back from all her taunting.

"Well I'll let you go now you've made your escape."

Harvey chuckles lightly, "Thanks Donna."

"Oh and Harvey? You owe me."

…. two….

D: Be here in half an hour if you still want me to be your secretary tomorrow.

Harvey frowns at his phone as an address appears in the next text message. He's pretty certain Donna is out on a date tonight. She didn't tell him about it, but she turned him down when he suggested they have a drink after work and order in the Thai food she loves and she only ever does that if she's got a date.

Another text appears on his screen.

D: I mean it. Get here now and save me!

Concern suddenly bubbles in his throat. He quickly fires back a text, already heading towards the door of his apartment.

H: Are you okay?

D: No. I'm fucking bored out of my mind.

D: If I have to listen to this guy debate who's the greatest football player for much longer I might commit a murder. So hurry!

Harvey laughs as relief floods through him. It's just a bad date, nothing more serious. He texts her back, already in the elevator.

H:I'm on my way

It's the first time Donna has ever asked him to rescue her from a date and the fact she asked him to come to her, rather than just call, has him curious. As the taxi slides through traffic he decides to have some fun with it.

His eyes focus on her immediately once he enters the dim, noisy bar. She's facing away from him, but he can see her twisting her glass from side to side like she always does when she's uninterested or frustrated by someone.

He strides to her side, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. Donna tenses at first, relaxing when she looks up and realises it's him, giving him a confused frown.

"Hi baby," he says enthusiastically, grinning down at her and dropping a kiss on her temple. An unexpected thrill runs down his spine.

Both Donna and her date stare at him in surprise.

"Baby?" the date splutters, "Donna what's going on, I thought you were single?"

"It's complicated," Harvey answers him, not taking his eyes off Donna as he continues to smirk at her.

She rolls her eyes subtly at him but seems to decide to play along. "Yeah, we have an open relationship," she elaborates, "Sorry, didn't I mention that?"

"What? No, you didn't mention that!" Her date lets out a string of exasperated noises as he grabs his coat and storms away, mumbling under his breath about how insane the situation was.

Once out of earshot Donna collapses against him in a fit of giggles.

"Not the approach I expected you to go with, but thanks for saving me. Another minute and my brain cells would have started dying."

"Happy to be of service," he answers, finally slipping his arm free from her shoulders.

"Let me buy you a drink," Donna says, dragging him towards the bar.

"How come you didn't just leave? Or have me call with a fake emergency?" he asks, curious.

Donna orders him scotch and a shot of tequila for herself which she downs immediately before ordering a second.

"Because it's Friday night and I didn't want to drink alone."

She seems on a mission to get drunk and so he nurses his one drink while she downs shots like their water, and even though it's fun and he enjoys nights like this with her, he gets the sense Donna might be burying something underneath all the alcohol.

Eventually he convinces her it's time to leave and she slumps beside him in the taxi.

"Why do all men suck?" she groans, pouting at him.

He knows she's not just talking about tonight's loser date. It's only been a few months since the shit with Stephen happened and he knows Donna has been struggling over that betrayal. Sometimes Harvey thinks he hates the bastard more for hurting her than for facilitating murder.

"Because we're idiots," he answers with a shrug.

She keeps staring at him, her eyes flicking to his lips before she starts to slowly lean in.

"Donna," he says quietly, shaking his head and it's not like he wouldn't love to kiss her right now, but she's drunk and spiraling over what happened with Stephen and the timing is all wrong.

"Yeah, you're right, idiots," she sighs, pulling open the car door as the taxi comes to a stop outside her apartment.

He can't deny her that, although in this one instance he knows he made the right choice stopping her.

…. three….

D: How's the date going?

Harvey grins down at his phone, typing a quick reply.

H: Boring

D: You gonna get lucky?

His grin widens further, and he doesn't even consider the fact he's probably being rude, ignoring his date to text his secretary.

H: If I don't fall asleep first. How's yours?

D: He's a firefighter…way to in love with himself

He knows he probably shouldn't feel as happy as he does to hear her date isn't going well but delight still flickers lightly over his chest.

H: You gonna get some?

D: This guy only knows how to put out fires, not light them….

D: Someone this self obsessed will never make me come. I'll just have a date with my vibrator instead when I get home.

Harvey chokes on his drink as he reads her last text. Fuck. Heat coils low in his belly.

"Are you alright?" his date asks with concern as he wipes his face with a napkin.

He stares at the blonde across from him. She's insanely dull personality wise, but highly attractive and ten minutes ago he had every intention of take her home tonight and fucking her on as many surfaces of his apartment as could manage.

Suddenly he couldn't feel less interested.

He finishes off his drink then makes an excuse about having a busy day tomorrow and leaves quickly.

He stares at Donna's last text in the taxi the whole way home, discarding half a dozen possible responses that come to mind. Some are safe and predictable, some so far over the line she would probably slap him tomorrow morning if he sent them.

Eventually he plays it simple.

H: His loss.

Her reply comes immediately.

D: Thought you'd be between Tammy's legs by now

H: Her name was Tiffany actually…..

He's certain she called his date by the wrong name on purpose, just to see if he had remembered it so she could tease him.

H: I decided my hand was a better option as well

D: Well that's definitely her loss as well

His throat goes dry reading her message. He almost feels like she's testing him.

H: Let me know when you're home safe

D: Just catching the taxi now….

He has no idea where his sudden concern for her well being comes from and he can't help but wonder if she was expecting him to reply with something else. Like an invitation.

Twenty minutes later while sprawled on his bed he notices his phone light up.

D: Home safe in bed

H: Enjoy the vibrator

D: Always do

He groans loudly, unable to not picture her pleasuring herself. He tosses the phone aside and starts to work his dick, letting his mind run rampant. He spills across his stomach with the memory of the sound of her cries as she comes ringing in his ears.

…. four….

H: What are you wearing?

D: Are you really that bored already?

H: She's talking about cats Donna. I should set her up with Louis.

She can't contain the giggle that slips out at Harvey's text. Justin, her date, looks at her curiously.

"Sorry. Just a friend," she says, sliding her phone down onto her lap so she can continue to reply less obviously.

D: Maybe you could all have a threesome?

H: I'd rather stab myself in the eye

H: Unless you want to take Louis's place

She fights the grin that wants to escape, glancing up from the phone to try and focus back on her date, however all she can think about is what her response will be.

Things have been extra flirty with Harvey recently and she feels like having some fun with him tonight. Justin was nice enough, and very good looking, but she was already losing interest before Harvey texted her.

D: You know I don't like to share

H: Lets get rid of everyone else then

H: You never answered what you're wearing?

Harvey was clearly looking to have some fun tonight as well. Donna bites her lip, wondering just how far she should let things go.

D: Black silk dress

H: Bet you look hot

D: I always do

She sets her phone down, tries to pay attention to her date again while she waits for Harvey to reply, knowing she's being impolite but not able to muster enough concern to stop. She lasts less than three minutes before checking her cell again.

H: Even hotter with it off

H:Tell me about your underwear

She gulps at his latest texts. Harvey was clearly wanting to push the line tonight and she knew if she didn't stop it now they would wind up in far too dangerous territory. Especially considering they were both on dates with other people.

D: Harvey…

H: What, it's an innocent question

D: No it's not

D: You should be more interested in your dates underwear since they're the only pair you're gonna see tonight

H: She already told me she isn't wearing any

She pulls a face, trying to quash the flare of jealousy along her spine. So what if Harvey is on a date with a half naked woman, she's sure it's not the first time. It's not like she wasn't planning on getting naked with her own date later in the night.

D: Then why aren't you taking advantage of that instead of annoying me on my date? I happen to be enjoying myself.

It was only a slight exaggeration she tells herself.

H: Cats Donna

H: Besides you're the one that keeps replying

Fuck. He had her with that point, she can't deny it. She looks back at Justin wondering what on earth she was doing. She'll never find someone, never cut him out, if she spends every date trading texts back and forth with her boss and ignoring the man she's meant to be focused on.

She switches off her phone and tosses it into her handbag, turning her full attention back to Justin. She commits herself fully to the date, asking questions about his life, increasing the flirting, making a few not so subtle touches. She reminds herself it takes time to build a connection, that just because he doesn't make her pulse race instantly, just because every second with him doesn't feel exciting, it doesn't mean there's not potential there.

In the end she him home, fucks him, and the sex is pretty good, but she already knows she'll never see him again. Like all of them he doesn't compare to him, and she's getting pretty damn tired of that fact.

…. five….

H: My date is so fucking hot

Donna smiles to herself as she reads the text, a faint blush building a little on her cheeks at the same time. Harvey has texted her while on a date too many times to count but it's different now.

D: So you're gonna get lucky tonight?

H: Oh I'm already lucky. The luckiest I've ever been.

She rolls her eyes at the line but deep down it makes her heart flutter. She's never seen this side of Harvey before, was never sure it existed.

D: My date is pretty damn hot as well

She spots him then strolling back from the bathroom. Harvey glances up from his phone, grinning at her with a smirk, looking both adorable and sexy as hell. He holds his hand out to her as he reaches her chair and she slips hers into his large, warm palm as she stands up, smoothing her other hand down his chest. She can never get enough of touching him, now that she finally can.

Leaning in, she whispers into his ear. "Let's go home and make you even luckier."