Prompt #38 by jessicaahyfr: "Precanon Donna and Harvey get stuck going home and have to share a bed at a hotel Donna is mad at him for something else and rather be anywhere but with him also is upset that her Christmas plans are ruined now - lots of tension while they're sharing a bed"
In the twenty-four hours that she'd spent accompanying Louis in Philadelphia, she had managed to successfully avoid Harvey, which was no easy feat, since both men were attending the same meetings.
Jessica had sprung this trip on both partners the night of December 22nd and she'd employed Donna's help to ensure the whole journey was rigorously planned, right down to her attendance.
Donna had protested but Jessica gently reminded her that acquiring Richard Salinger would earn the firm millions and that Donna's attendance was an order, not a request.
So, she booked Louis and Harvey's seats together—to both of their displeasure—and booked her seat as far away as possible. Though that didn't stop Louis from accosting her every fifteen minutes. The man was anxious at the best of times, but it was amplified on a domestic flight. It was why he ultimately rescheduled his flight to the night of December 23rd and upgraded himself to a first-class ticket.
It had been a whirlwind of a trip, and rather depressingly, the first time she'd left New York in years. Nevertheless, she made the most of room service and a night to herself in a four-star hotel.
When she left for the airport at 9 am, she tamped down the urge to knock on Harvey's door and make sure he was ready; it wasn't her job anymore. If he was late for his flight, it was his problem.
Upon entering the departure lounge, she was surprised to find Harvey already sitting there. A tray with two cups of coffee sat in the empty seat beside his.
When they locked eyes, he gave her a short nod of acknowledgement and lifted the tray from the seat. With some hesitancy, she sat down in the seat next to his and accepted the coffee when he handed it to her. The gesture was painfully familiar; over the years they'd exchanged countless, silent apologies with coffee. Maybe if they'd used actual words, they'd still be working together.
She held the coffee cup to her lips and just as she was about to take a sip, Harvey said, "It's not good."
Donna grimaced as she swallowed a mouthful. He was right.
"Thanks anyway," she managed.
"No problem." He gestured to the departure board. "Our gate should be announced in a few minutes."
"Great."
A few minutes passed with Donna choking back her coffee and Harvey drumming his fingers on his thighs. He never fidgeted. It was slightly unnerving.
"I'm going to go to the check-in desk and see if they'll tell us before it's announced," he said.
She frowned and opened her mouth to protest but Harvey had already leapt out of his seat.
It was almost ten minutes before he returned with a resigned, frustrated expression. Donna stood up on instinct.
"Harvey what—?"
But Donna saw the departure board before he could speak. Next to their 10:20 am flight, in clear letters, was the word CANCELLED.
"You're kidding me?" she said.
Harvey joined her side, glaring at the board. "Oh, it gets worse," he said. "It's not just our flight, it's every flight."
"How the hell can it be every flight?"
"Every flight to New York," he clarified. "Apparently there's been some freak storm overnight and no flights are going in."
"How bad could it have gotten in the twenty-four hours we've been gone?"
Donna pulled out her phone to check for herself. After a few seconds of scrolling through her news app, she groaned. "Unprecedented blizzards and mass flight cancellations," she read aloud. "Jesus, it's everywhere."
"Donna, it's fine. It'll pass. We'll get a later flight."
She shook her head, eyes still glued to her phone. "All New York airports are shutting down until the blizzard passes. Meteorologists are predicting it could last days."
"Okay so—"
"December 26th."
She watched Harvey visibly deflate. She sighed, sinking back into her seat. They watched the departures board light up with more New York flight cancellations.
Harvey stepped in front of her. "Forget flying. We can drive, it's only a couple of hours."
"It's a freaking blizzard, Harvey. How the hell are we going to navigate a blizzard in a rental car?"
He snapped his mouth shut. After a few seconds, he gathered up their overnight bags.
"What are you doing?"
"We're not going to wait here for two days. Let's go back to the hotel, we'll get new rooms and figure something out there."
Donna huffed from her side of the car for the length of the fifteen-minute journey. Harvey had tried making conversation, but she'd only responded with one-word answers. After five minutes, he gave up, and they merely sat in silence for the remainder of the journey.
When they returned to the hotel, the receptionist looked surprised to see them.
"Is everything alright, sir?" he asked, eyes flicking to the computer then back to Harvey and Donna.
"Our flight was cancelled," Donna said flatly.
"Oh no, you weren't flying to New York were you?"
Harvey watched Donna's mouth form a thin line. "We were, now we're not."
Harvey interjected before she could continue. "We're stuck here until the blizzard in New York passes, so we'll need both of our rooms back."
The man's expression faltered. "Well, that might be a little difficult."
"Let me guess, you're booked out?" Donna asked, her voice a mixture of resignation and barely concealed rage.
The receptionist looked young and slightlyworried by Donna's tone.
"I'll see what I can do, ma'am. Just give me a few minutes."
Ma'am. Donna's going to hate that.
"Thanks, uh," Harvey's eyes flashed down to the nametag, "Noel."
The man nodded, then turned his attention to the computer monitor.
Harvey leaned to Donna and whispered conspiratorially, "Noel?"
It filled him with unspeakable pleasure when she finally cracked a smile. "Festive," she acknowledged.
It was a few minutes before Noel spoke again. "Okay, I've managed to shuffle a few bookings around in the next few days and I've found you a queen room until the 26th of December. We had a cancellation come through just a few hours ago, looks like another couple who couldn't leave New York."
Noel chuckled at the coincidence while Harvey tried not to react to his another couple comment.
"Your new room was empty last night so you can actually check-in immediately—that almost never happens this early."
The man was practically beaming.
"You said a queen room?" Donna asked. "As in, singular?"
"Yes, a singular room for two."
Harvey and Donna shared a brief, panicked look. "Any chance that bed splits into two?" Donna asked.
"I'm afraid only our kings split in two and they're all booked out."
"Do you have a cot or rollaway?" she asked.
"They're limited and I'm afraid they're—"
"All booked out?" Donna supplied.
Noel nodded, wearing a tight-lipped, nervous smile.
Donna sighed. "We'll make it work, thank you, Noel."
He looked relieved as he handed two keys to Donna.
"Charge it to the card on file," Harvey said.
Although Noel had specified a queen room, he'd neglected to mention its modest size. It had a standard balcony and bathroom, but it was smaller than the room he'd been in last night. The aforementioned queen bed was the centrepiece of the room, and the only other items of furniture were a small table, two timber chairs and a larger reading chair. Not a couch in sight.
Donna dumped her handbag on the small table, shed her coat and kicked off her heels, heading straight for the bathroom.
"I'm going to have a shower," she announced before banishing herself to the bathroom and kicking the door shut.
Harvey sighed, then called out, "I'll go find us some breakfast."
There was no response, only the sound of the water turning on. Donna was pissed, tired, and doing a terrible job of hiding it. The least Harvey could do was scrounge up something decent for breakfast.
He made his way downstairs and stopped at the reception desk to ask Noel for directions to the nearest café. Noel handed Harvey a comically large street map with a highlighted route to a bakery a few blocks from the hotel. He pocketed the map in his coat and stepped into the chilly air.
The bakery had been open for hours and the scent of sweet pastries filled his nostrils. Harvey played it safe, ordering a couple of almond croissants, two large, extra hot lattes, and something sickeningly sweet filled with chocolate. And finally, he told the waiter to throw in a few gingerbread men, because, what the hell, it was Christmas after all.
When he returned to the room it was cloaked in darkness. The curtains were drawn, and he found Donna curled up in the middle of the bed on top of the covers in an oversized bathrobe, snoring softly. He could only just make out her face; her hair was wet, her mouth lay open slightly and a small frown worried her brow. He placed the bag of pastries and coffees on the bedside table. He removed his coat, kicked off his shoes and sat on the bed, hoping his weight would be enough to rouse Donna from sleep.
When she eventually stirred she opened her eyes. She seemed to frown once she registered it was him. Harvey shifted to the very edge of the bed as she sat up abruptly.
"Breakfast," he said, handing her the bag of pastries.
He stood from the bed and opened the curtains, merely so he'd have something to do. He was greeted by a wet, grey day. Appropriate. Once he turned around, he found Donna nibbling on the leg of a gingerbread man. It might have made him smile if she didn't look so pained to be sharing the same space as him.
"We'll keep monitoring the forecast. We might get lucky."
She frowned. "Or it might get worse, and we'll get stuck here until New Year's."
"Well, jeez, I'm so sorry you're stuck with me."
"Yeah me too," she snapped.
He reared back at the harshness of her tone. She sighed, standing up from the bed. She grabbed her overnight bag and disappeared into the bathroom again.
Minutes passed, and Harvey paced the room, scrolling through his phone trying to find any way for them to get home. Trains were halted too. Buses were no hope. Donna had a point; they were stuck here, at least for the time being.
When Donna re-emerged from the bathroom, she was dressed in a pair of heeled boots, dark fitted jeans and a white turtleneck. She looked nice, casual. Any time he saw her like this was usually in her apartment. And the last time he'd been there, he'd said—
Well.
"You going somewhere?" he asked.
All she said was, "Out for supplies."
Harvey couldn't imagine what they'd need for a mere two days when they had both packed overnight bags, but he didn't see the point in arguing.
Donna knew she'd been harsh when she snapped at Harvey, but they were about to spend forty-eight hours together, and since she had left his desk a month ago, some days passed without them exchanging so much as a glance.
She knew she had made the right choice but severing ties with Harvey had still felt like losing a limb. But she needed the distance to heal and being forced to share room—a bed—with him was enough to make her spiral.
She wandered around the streets surrounding their hotel somewhat aimlessly, popping into a café for a takeaway coffee and killing some time in a boutique store where she bought a thick wool scarf. It was a rich, forest green and it was the closest to a Christmas gift she would have before she finally saw her family. She ducked into a bookstore and found a paperback to occupy her time. There was a balcony in the room, she could wrap herself up in her coat and polish off a bottle of wine while reading a B-grade thriller. It was a sad prospect, particularly since she'd always loved the holidays.
While she was out, she stocked up on booze: a few bottles of pinot noir and a bottle of Macallan 18. Yes, she was mad at Harvey, but she wasn't a monster. And they'd need alcohol if they were going to make it through to Boxing Day without killing one another.
It was the afternoon when she returned to the room and Harvey was nowhere in sight. She dumped her bags and stepped out onto the balcony, wrapping her scarf tight around her neck. She'd been avoiding it all day, but she finally made the call to her mother to tell her she wouldn't make it to Christmas lunch.
"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry."
"Mom, I'm the one who should be sorry."
"Donna, I know you think you can control everything, but the weather is the exception."
She resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
"I'm just glad you're not there by yourself, at least you have Harvey."
At least you have Harvey.
She also hadn't gotten around to telling her mother that she resigned as Harvey's assistant, mostly because she was afraid to be asked why.
"Yeah, I'm not alone."
"Well, wish Harvey a Merry Christmas and I'll see you when you get here. Don't feel bad, sweetie. Just try and make the best of it."
They said their goodbyes, and Donna slumped in the balcony chair. A moment later, Harvey opened the sliding door and joined her outside.
"My mother says Merry Christmas," she muttered, avoiding his eyes.
He cringed for a second, no doubt remembering their awkward meeting, before he said, "Tell her I say it back when you make it to Cortland."
Donna stared out at the unfamiliar city before her. This would have been her first real holiday season in years. She was supposed to have a whole glorious week off. She loved New York at Christmas, but it was still an overwhelming, strange and lonely time. This year was supposed to be different. This year was supposed to be about family—her real one, not the wonderfully maddening family she'd created for herself at Pearson Specter Litt. She was going to have quality time with her mom, she was going to teach her niece how to play the piano, she was even going to attempt to help her sister cook. An actual Christmas, not a single day with half of it spent in traffic getting upstate and back.
"This was going to be my first real Christmas in, four, maybe five years."
"I guess that's my fault too."
They briefly locked eyes.
"That's not what I said."
Harvey pursed his lips, his gaze drifting. "No, but it's what you meant." He released a short breath. "Donna, I know things aren't great between us, but I really don't want you to be miserable over the next two days. Can we at least try and be civil?"
When she finally looked at him, his face was more open than she'd seen in weeks. It wasn't that hardened expression that she'd come to expect, but one tinged with sadness and vulnerability. This was hurting him as much her. That knowledge made her soften.
"I bought scotch."
His lips quirked into a smile as he cocked his head toward the room. "There's chocolate inside too."
The tension hadn't quite disappeared, but this was as close to a normal interaction as he'd had with Donna in weeks.
They shared a glass of scotch and Harvey called Noel at the reception desk and managed to sweet-talk him into a last-minute reservation at the hotel restaurant. While he was on the phone, Donna had pried open the bag of cold pastries from the morning. She smiled gleefully as she took out the chocolate cannoli. He watched her eat it with her fingers and lick the corner of her lips. He tore his eyes away when she finally caught him staring.
They decided to head downstairs early and grab a drink before dinner. Harvey stuck to scotch while Donna ordered some garish Christmas cocktail with chocolate and mint lacquer and a candy cane garnish.
"It's Christmas Eve, Harvey."
They sat in a corner booth by the window with as much distance they could manage in a bustling bar. Harvey was aware they were on tentative ground and the last thing he wanted to do was piss her off by invading her personal space—before they were forced to share a bed, at least. He'd spent the majority of his uneventful day not thinking about that particular inevitability.
"For what it's worth," he said, "I'm sorry you're missing out on Christmas with your family."
Donna frowned, then took a sip of her drink. She hummed appreciatively then focused her eyes on him.
"Harvey, there are many things I'd love to blame you for, but the weather is not one of them."
Despite the words, her tone was light, and he chuckled, feeling himself relax.
"You didn't need to be on this trip though. You could have arranged everything from New York like you always do."
"Jessica had other ideas."
"You think she was punishing you?"
Donna shook her head. "I think her job is easier when you and I can exist in the same room together."
Harvey briefly thought of his panic attack in the office. "Mine too," he admitted.
Donna sighed, swirling the candy cane around her drink. It really was a ridiculous thing to order.
"What were your Christmas plans before they were ruined?" she asked.
Harvey wasn't like Donna; he never gave much thought to the holidays. He hadn't since his dad died.
"My view of holidays hasn't changed since you resigned, Donna."
"Your brother invites you to Boston every year, one of these days you'll run out of excuses to tell him."
"I don't have an excuse. I have one reason. The same as every other year."
Donna frowned, unsatisfied with the answer. She offered him her candy cane.
"Is that because I'm a grinch?" he asked.
"Yes."
He grinned, took the candy cane from her and chewed on the end of it.
"That is not how one eats a candy cane."
"Would you care to demonstrate?"
Donna blushed and Harvey cleared his throat once he realised the implication of his words. He drained the rest of his glass and dumped the candy cane inside.
"You know you could get on a plane to Boston. There's bound to be an overpriced flight tomorrow."
Harvey ignored her suggestion, flagging down a waiter to order another drink.
"You'd probably make his year," Donna said, once the drink arrived.
Harvey sighed. They'd barely made up and she was already trying to impart her advice. It was equal parts annoying and comforting.
"Then you'd be spending Christmas alone."
"Like you would have been?"
"The difference is I choose to be alone, Donna."
She slumped in her seat. "I can't argue with that."
He felt a fight brewing and chose not to comment. He checked his watch; it was time for their reservation.
"You still hungry?" he asked.
"Yeah, we should eat."
They suffered through one of their more uncomfortable meals together, and Harvey felt himself longing for simple, uncomplicated nights spent in his office, poring over case files while eating shitty Thai food. Her acumen as an assistant aside, it was their easy intimacy that he mourned the most.
He was tired of their words carrying so much hurt and bite, and he spent the majority of dinner wondering if they'd ever get back to a place where they were real friends again. If they were stranded together at Christmas any other year, they would have made the most of it. He had an estranged mother and a distant brother; Donna was his family. Her, Mike, Jessica.
He picked up the tab, even when Donna protested.
"Don't worry, this meal's on Jessica."
At least that they could agree on.
It was only nine by the time they returned to the room and Donna excused herself to the bathroom, claiming she wanted to soak in the tub, so Harvey sequestered himself on the balcony with the bottle of Macallan Donna had procured earlier.
He sat outside for some time before he pulled out his phone. He almost called Marcus, before he chickened out and called the next best thing.
"Is this the grinch actually calling me to say Merry Christmas?"
"I'm hanging up, Mike."
Mike only laughed through the phone.
"I heard you're stranded in Philadelphia."
"News travels fast," he said, knowing full well this bit of news travelled from Donna to Mike via Rachel.
"Well, at least you can be thankful you're sharing a bed with Donna and not Louis."
Harvey groaned. "That is a Christmas miracle."
"How are things with you guys?"
"About as well as they were when we left."
Mike released a long sigh. "I'm sorry."
"It's fine." It was decidedly not fine, but the scotch was helping. "Anyway, I just wanted to say, uh, happy holidays to you and Rachel."
There was a pause, and Harvey braced himself for Mike's teasing, but it never came.
"Happy holidays Harvey. Give my love to Donna."
They hung up and before he could talk himself out of it, Harvey dialled Marcus' number.
His brother was surprised to hear his voice. Marcus put him on speaker and Katie and the kids shouted a chorus of hello and Merry Christmas Uncle Harvey. This went on for a few minutes until Katie told the kids she had to put them to bed before Santa arrived, leaving the two brothers alone again.
"You know you're welcome here, Harvey," Marcus said.
"I'm stuck here until December 26th."
"And what about after? Surely the firm won't be open until after New Year's."
"I usually work from then until New Year's Eve," he admitted.
"So don't this year. Just fly straight to Boston. What were you going to do for the holidays anyway?"
He paused as he refilled his drink.
"I'll think about it," he said.
Marcus sighed. "But actually consider it, okay?"
"Okay, I'll consider it."
"Merry Christmas, Harvey."
As they exchanged goodbyes it started to snow. Harvey enjoyed it for a few minutes before grabbing his glass and bottle and returning inside.
The room was illuminated by the golden glow of Donna's bedside lamp. She was perched against the headboard of the bed, wearing a pair of yellow cotton shorts and a white tank top. A book was open in her lap, but she looked up with a start as he shut the balcony door behind him.
"Hey," she muttered distractedly, returning to the book.
Harvey had the odd, fleeting thought that this was what a fight between a married couple might look like.
He held up the bottle. "Drink?"
She eyed the bottle, weighing her options. Eventually, she gave in and reached for the empty glass on her nightstand. Harvey approached the bed and filled her glass.
"I'm going to take a quick shower," he told her.
He drained his glass and retreated to the bathroom. He stripped quickly and turned the water on full blast. The image of Donna in bed—their bed—in skimpy shorts and a fitted tank top plagued him for the length of the shower, and he resisted the instinct to relieve himself.
After ten minutes, he felt significantly more relaxed. He re-dressed in a clean pair of boxers and a white t-shirt. Normally, he would sleep shirtless, but he felt the need to place an extra layer between himself and Donna.
By the time he returned to the bedroom, Donna had switched off the light, and only a sliver of moonlight filtered through the cracks of the curtains. He could faintly make out her form: curled on her side, body angled to the hotel door, away from him.
Harvey padded over to his side of the bed and slipped under the covers. Donna had looked wide awake when he left her fifteen minutes ago, so he knew there was no way she was already sleeping. A few minutes passed and the rustle of her hair against her pillow confirmed that fact.
He remained as close to the edge of the bed as he could without falling off, and judging by the sound of Donna's movements, she was doing the same.
He sighed into the darkness. "This is only awkward if we make it awkward."
Donna snorted. "Like if we bring attention to the fact that it's awkward?"
Harvey managed a laugh. "Touché."
Even with the physical distance between them, Harvey could feel some of the tension drain from Donna's body.
He was lying. Of course it was awkward. They'd spent the better part of the last ten years trying to avoid ending up in bed together again.
"If it helps," he said, "at least you're not sharing a bed with Louis."
He felt her laugh before he heard it.
"That's exactly what Rachel told me when I spoke to her."
"Huh, I bet she and Mike are comparing notes."
"It's almost midnight on Christmas Eve, I've sure they're doing a lot more than comparing notes."
Harvey grinned against his pillow. He felt Donna shift her weight onto her back, and his body naturally did the same. Looking up at the ceiling, he felt the heat from her arm against his.
He took a deep breath and confessed a fraction of what he was feeling, "It's been hard not talking to you, Donna."
She inhaled sharply. "It's been hard for me too. I don't … I hate being angry at you."
"If it's any consolation, you're really good at it."
"Years of practice."
His head fell to the side and for a second, they locked eyes in the dim light. He saw the faint outline of a smile and knew this was too much, too soon, but dammit, it felt good to be this close to her. He properly rolled onto his side, overwhelmed by the desire to kiss her. But he couldn't, not after everything they'd said to each other—not after what he took back. Donna faced him now too, her hand resting in the small space between them.
He ventured a leg forward, letting his toes brush her ankle. She tensed, only for a second, then relaxed.
"Cold feet," she murmured.
Weird, since he could have sworn he was burning up.
"Well, you radiate heat," he teased her.
"So, lose a layer."
"Excuse me?"
"Settle down cowboy," she laughed. "I know you don't like to sleep with a shirt on."
"You filed that detail away did you?"
"Actually, I was thinking about the time you caught the flu and I had to bring you a box of case files and chicken soup in bed."
Harvey smirked at the memory. He'd been deathly ill, and Donna's visit had been about the only thing to put a smile on his face for a full week.
He sat up, yanked off his t-shirt and then shuffled back under the covers.
"Does this mean you're losing a layer too?"
He felt a sharp kick to his shin.
"I meant the socks," he covered. "No wonder you feel like a furnace."
There was some rustling under the bed, which Harvey interpreted as Donna kicking her socks off.
"Happy?"
They shared a smile, and he drifted off soon after.
It was still dark when Harvey cracked open his eyes. He had the groggy feeling of having slept, but nowhere near enough. The body under his was warm and soft, and it was only when he registered the vibrant red hair around the pillow that he remembered where he was.
At some point during the night, he and Donna had extinguished the remaining space between them. He'd woken in the crook of her neck with his lips on her skin and a hand draped possessively across her waist. He tried to move, but Donna's leg was wrapped around him, keeping him in place.
He wiggled slightly out of her grip but instead of freeing himself, he woke her up.
"What—oh."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to—"
"I must have—"
They sprang apart and retreated to their sides of the bed. They'd only been awake together for a few seconds but there was no way of denying the obvious erection he'd been sporting while pressed up against Donna. Christ, the sun wasn't even up yet, and he was already getting morning wood.
They lay on opposite sides of the bed, both obviously awake, and clearly trying to hide it from the other. Harvey felt like he should say something, anything, but the words never made it past his lips.
It must have been ten minutes before he thought, fuck it, rolled over, reached for her, and pulled her into his arms.
"Harvey, what are you—"
"Just sleep, Donna."
She released a long breath and settled against his chest. Their position was the reverse of the one they woke up in. This time, Donna's leg was draped over Harvey and his hand rested on her lower back. Her tank top had ridden up and Harvey's fingers caressed her warm skin. She snuggled against his frame and he felt himself grow hard again. Then—and he was sure he imagined it—he felt her hand gravitate from his chest to his stomach.
"Don—"
"What if I don't want to sleep?"
He looked at her sharply, trying to make out her features in the dark. Even with minimal light, he could see her eyes fixed intently on him. There was no misinterpreting her question.
He captured her lips in a kiss. It was brief, soft; he was half-expecting her to pull away. Instead, she used her purchase to hoist herself onto him, her thighs braced on either side of his hips. She leaned down and he tilted his head up, meeting her lips for a real kiss. She opened her mouth, and he slipped his tongue inside, threading a hand through her hair and pressing his pelvis against hers.
They kissed desperately, clinging at each other, trying to get closer. He broke their kiss to peel off her tank top, taking a moment to slow down and appreciate her topless form. He rose higher, planting hot kisses against her neck and chest. He palmed one breast and sucked her nipple into his mouth. Donna released a low moan, and it was hands-down the hottest sound he'd heard in his life.
"God, I want you," he breathed against her skin.
It took some manoeuvring, but Donna stripped off Harvey's boxers and removed her own shorts. Harvey pulled her back on top of him, squeezing her ass. Donna's hands were around his neck, and she pulled him back in for a kiss, rubbing herself across his dick. Although he wanted to spend hours worshipping every inch of her, it was obvious both of them were willing to forego foreplay.
"Condom?" he asked.
"I'm on the pill, and I'm clean."
"Me too."
Donna guided her entrance over him, and they locked eyes as she sank onto him. He let out a gargled moan and Donna grinned. He kissed the smile from her mouth, and she started to move her hips.
God, she felt incredible. He'd forced himself to forget, but he was reliving every sensory memory from their first night: the sounds that escaped her mouth, the feel of her clenching around him, the sight of her. He watched her now without reservation, without having to repress his desire for her.
He bucked up and drove into her harder.
"Oh god," she breathed.
Harvey hoped he never got used to this.
He took her nipple in his mouth again and snaked his hand between them so he could rub her clit. They moved relentlessly against one another, Harvey circling her clit and drawing her orgasm out of her while she took every inch of him.
She clutched his shoulders and he felt her shudder around him, heard her cry out. It set him off and he came with his mouth against her neck and her name on his lips.
They slumped back on the bed, satiated and sleepy. Harvey kissed Donna one more time to keep from saying something stupid, but he suspected she knew anyway.
On Christmas morning Donna woke with Harvey's arms wrapped around her and his lips against her shoulder. A glance at the alarm clock by her bed told her it was almost 10 am. She indulged herself for a few minutes, enjoying the simple pleasure of waking up like this with Harvey, before extracting herself from his embrace.
She made a run for the bathroom, slipped inside and switched on the light. She avoided the mirror, knowing her reflection would simply show what she already knew: that she'd been thoroughly satisfied the night before. Seeing it would only make this morning harder for her.
She scrubbed her face under the hot shower and washed her body, feeling significantly more tender than yesterday.
Once she was clean, she threw on her robe and pulled her unruly hair into a ponytail.
Naturally, Harvey was waiting for her when she returned. He smiled at her, practically leapt out of bed—modesty be damned—and pulled her in for a kiss. Donna felt her resolve weaken as she kissed him back and his hands found a home on her hips.
After far too long, her brain finally won out over her libido, and she broke their kiss. If it had been anyone else, anyone who didn't know her so well, she might have had a few more seconds before they realised what she was doing.
"Donna, what's wrong?"
"You should get dressed."
Harvey frowned, then located his boxers and slipped them on. He dropped onto the bed and heaved out a long sigh.
"Is this the part where you tell me you never want to mention it again? Because you can save your breath, I remember the speech."
He wasn't angry, but somehow, his disappointment was even worse. Nevertheless …
"Last night shouldn't have happened."
Harvey glared at her then said, "We don't work together anymore, remember?"
It was the worst thing he could have said.
"That's not why it was a mistake."
Harvey cocked his head, studying her. "If memory serves, you were the one who initiated things."
She felt her cheeks flame. "And I shouldn't have."
Harvey stood up, apparently emboldened. "Well, I'm glad you did. I sure wasn't going to." Donna gaped at him, feeling a mixture of hurt and embarrassment. Harvey sensed this because he quickly added, "I mean, it couldn't be me, not after …"
"After you told me you loved me to make me feel better."
She watched his shoulders sag. They couldn't argue anymore without every fight coming back around to it.
"I was an asshole for saying that. And an idiot."
"It was humiliating, Harvey."
He looked visibly pained. "I wasn't pitying you, Donna."
She shot him a look and he rolled his eyes. He stepped into her personal space again, though this time, he didn't touch her.
"You know I'm capable of looking at you that way. If nothing else, last night proved that tenfold."
Donna felt herself blush.
"That's chemistry, Harvey—and you have that with everyone."
He frowned. "I don't have that, with everyone. Last night was …"
"What?"
"You know what it was."
She groaned. "Oh my god, seriously?" At his confused expression, she continued, "will you stop leaving me to figure out your feelings and just say them for once in your life?"
He cupped her face and kissed her deeply. They broke apart after a few seconds, breathless.
"That doesn't count."
"I love you."
She stared at him blankly before she recovered. "You don't mean that."
He touched her cheek again, forcing her gaze to his. "I mean it. And I meant it then." He let out a low chuckle. "You called me out on it, and I lost my nerve."
"You said we have everything."
He shrugged. "Last night we did."
Last night she hadn't let herself believe it. She thought she had felt it, what she always knew was really between them, but she'd been terrified to acknowledge it for fear that it'd be thrown back in her face the next morning.
"Donna, I know I hurt you, and I know there's trust that we have to rebuild. All I'm asking is that maybe we can start doing that."
She searched his face for any sign of concern or hesitation but found none. He was being sincere. He might have been scared, but he was sincere.
This time, Donna kissed him first.
Christmas Day tended to be the holiday that Harvey dreaded or outright ignored. It was a day synonymous with love and family, two things that he'd shut himself off from. This year, only a month after losing the most important person in his life, he'd miraculously managed to reclaim both.
He spent the day in bed with Donna, naked for most of it, save for the handful of times they ordered room service. The night before was only a preview of the real thing, today they made love with the windows open and the light streaming in. He relearned every curve and freckle (and a few new ones), and when they didn't have their hands all over each other, they were propped up against the headboard or slumped together on the balcony, swapping scotch and stories.
They never left the walls of their hotel room and the sun had well and truly gone down by the time Donna got an alert on her phone about their rescheduled flight. It was a very inconvenient time since Harvey had just positioned himself between her legs, peppering her thighs with kisses.
"I need to check that," she protested weakly.
"Or you could ignore it and we could move in here."
She let out a laugh and squirmed away from him.
"Do you mind? I was about to do my best work."
She winked at him. "Hold that thought."
She scanned her phone while Harvey ran a teasing hand across the inside of her thigh.
"Flight leaves at 7 am tomorrow."
He heaved a sigh; his disappointment was palpable. "I'm not ready to leave."
"Hey," she said, turning to him and cupping his chin. "We can't be stranded here forever. I've got to see my family and you've got to see yours."
"Mine?"
She looked slightly sheepish. "I changed your flight. You're leaving for Boston at 8 am."
He pulled away from her, but Donna was having none of it. She rolled him onto his back and straddled him. He could hardly stay mad with her perfect breasts in his face.
"That's playing dirty."
"So, you'll go?"
"What if I just want to stay with you?"
Donna pressed a kiss to his lips. "Harvey, we haven't even been on a date yet, you're not ready to spend Christmas with my family."
Harvey let out a snort. "You have a point."
Donna smirked. "But I do want to ring in the new year with you."
He grinned up at her. "Yeah?" She nodded. "So, I'll get to kiss you at midnight?"
"And hopefully a lot more than that."
He kissed her in response, feeling his arousal stir again.
"Well, we better say our goodbyes now. I have a feeling they might be too graphic at the airport tomorrow."
Harvey flipped Donna over and she let out a squeal.
One thing was certain, he'd be leaving the receptionist a very generous tip in the morning.