AN: Wow! I remembered the password woohoo! so um, *taps mic* is this thing on? - It's been a good long while since I've tried to write words for these two (or used so plz if you don't follow me on A03 where i've been dabbling in tedbecca land & jopper world as hawkinshellfire)
devils roll the dice (unholy)
Red. It's all he sees. The way her dress hugs her hips, wrapping her in a deep red that matches the shade her lips are painted. It's a tease, he thinks. She's intentionally dressed like this to drive him mad.
She has her hair tucked behind her ears and Harvey is certain he's never been so attracted to anyone.
His own outfit was a classic. White shirt, black bow tie, Tom Ford jacket. He didn't waste time or effort on tonight's look. Harvey had never been a fan of this time of year. The tinsel, the music, everyone acting jolly; it all rubbed him the wrong way. Donna, on the other hand, was working the room with a glass of champagne in her hand, a smile on her face. She made it known that she loved the holiday party and each year he knew she found pleasure in teasing him about his, what she liked to call, "Grinchness." Inwardly, he laughs at the irony of them spending so much time with one another. They were such opposite and yet, at the same time he found they were the same. Like fire and ice if an ice cube were somehow on fire - wow, that didn't make any sense, he thinks to himself. Perhaps he should lay off the scotch. .
Watching Donna sip on her glass of champagne from across the room, her lips dripping a shade of crimson red that would likely haunt his dreams, he's glad he was forced to attend tonight.
Red.
Fuck. He was in such trouble.
This year's party was being hosted at the firm, something to do with budget cuts, though Harvey wasn't completely listening at the partners meeting.
The 50th floor of Pearson Specter Litt had been decorated with soft white lights, standing tables had been set up and draped with silver and white cloths and a bar had been set up across from the elevator bay. Holiday music was playing softly from a hidden speaker and waitresses moved about the floor with trays of tiny snacks that made Harvey wish he'd eaten more before the 30 second journey from his office to the party. Most of his coworkers opted to go home, change and return to the party, but he'd been roped into a last-minute meeting with a big client and instead had his new Secretary (he forgot her name) pick up his suit and leave it in his office.
He glances around the party, then decides he needs something stronger than what's being served and sneaks away to his office for a refill.
On his way down the corridor, he spots the decorations in Donna's office, and he shakes his head with a smile. It had been almost a year since Donna's promotion and Harvey had finally come to accept their new working relationship. Though things between them in the first few months had been rocky, they'd managed to work past their issues and had somehow come out with a stronger relationship than the one they'd had when Donna worked as Harvey's secretary.
Harvey fetches himself a refill, then reluctantly rejoins the party where he's immediately cornered by Louis, who wants to talk about the firm's plan for the new quarter.
Across the room, Donna is still engaged in conversation with Rachel and a few women he recognizes as associates. He watches her arms rise and fall as she speaks, not bothering to hide the way his stare is fixed on her.
"Harvey!" Louis whines, "are you evening listening to me?"
"I'm listening, Louis."
"Great. Then what did I just say?"
"Something about one of your cats?"
"I was talking about landing Smithers as a client … seriously, what is so important that you can't listen to me for five minutes," Louis turns over his shoulder and spies the two women Harvey had been staring at.
"Sorry Louis, you know I don't like to talk shop at the holiday party," he lies. "Trying to focus on festivities."
Louis' eyes grow wide, and he nods in understanding. "Of course! I didn't mean to impose on the sanctum that is festive time."
Unable to tell if Louis is making a sarcastic comment or being dead serious, Harvey offers him a confused smile then excuses himself to be anywhere else.
He spots Mike lingering near one of the tables and heads over to him.
Behind him, he notices someone he doesn't recognize, tall, dark hair, deep gray suit, approaching Donna and Rachel. Mike greets him, but Harvey is too focused on the way this man is making Donna and Rachel laugh to hear him.
"Harvey," Mike says a second time, "you alright?"
"Fine. Just tired."
"Kind of surprised to see you here, didn't think this was your scene," Mike says.
"It's not."
"You bring a date?" Mike asks cheerfully.
"I wouldn't waste a date on something like this."
When Mike fails to respond Harvey musters up a smile and does his best to sound sincere when he adds, "but you and Rachel look nice."
"It's probably a good thing you didn't bring a date," Mike replies.
"Why?"
"She'd probably be jealous that you've spent half the party eye banging Donna from across the room."
"I haven't been-"
"Oh please . I was almost ready to suggest you two get a room when you first walked over here."
"It's not-"
"Like that. Yeah, yeah. I've heard this speech before I got it. You're not into her, "like that." I call bullshit."
Harvey glares at Mike, who just smirks in response. Mike knows he's pushed Harvey just far enough and is enjoying watching him squirm.
Before Harvey has a chance to warn Mike that if he wants to keep his job he'll quit while he's ahead, Donna begins making her way over to the group.
"Speak of the devil," Mike grins as she approaches. He pulls her in for a hug and kisses her on the cheek before telling her she looks lovely.
"Harvey," she nods.
"Donna," he responds with equal awkwardness.
Mike stares between them, then clears his throat and says, "did I miss something or are you two acting strange?"
He doesn't wait for a response, excusing himself to join Rachel at the bar.
"What's he on about?" Donna asks.
"Who knows," Harvey shrugs.
"That's quite the look," Donna eyes Harvey, "very festive."
"The invite says black tie. This is a black tie. There were no requirements to be festive."
"I almost forgot, you're a…"
"You don't have to finish that sentence," Harvey interrupts, "I got it." A sarcastic smile appears across his lips briefly, but Donna catches it and flashes him a victorious grin.
"You're telling me you went and got a red dress just for this?" He uses the sentence as an excuse to glance up and down her dress. He gulps. It hugged every curve perfectly.
"Actually, I bought it to wear to a Halloween party and never had the chance to wear it."
She catches him staring and adds, "I was going to be the devil."
"That's a shame, it looks incredible." Harvey's face flushes when he realizes he's vocalized what he was thinking.
"I mean, I'm wearing it now, so it wasn't a lost cause. You would have liked the costume though, seeing as you enjoy playing devil's advocate around here." She was referring to a business venture he'd encouraged Mike to pursue earlier in the week that had gone terribly wrong. He'd come to her office with a bottle and two glasses and the two of them spent the evening chatting about why he pushed Mike to pursue the deal.
"I have no idea what you mean, I'm a complete angel."
She rolls her eyes and gives him her classic, "I'm Donna, I know," stare. Harvey considers it a win.
Their conversation had been like this in the office lately. Flirty. Toying with the line of once was and could be. He was thrilled by it. The way they bantered like they used to back at the DA's office, back before he thought they could never go back and every conversation they had left him feeling elated. It was easy, the conversations they had. They talked about nothing and everything at the same time.
"I'm not falling for that," Donna replies, refusing to pay him the compliment he's fishing for.
"Please," Harvey flirts, "I know better than to think you would."
For the first time all evening, Harvey feels relaxed. Donna gives him a quick rundown of who-is-who and the two of them head in the direction of the bar so Donna can refill her drink. On the way, Rachel waves Donna over to join her and a few of the paralegals near the offices.
"You're being beckoned," Harvey points out.
Donna orders a new drink and leans against the bar, her body angled towards Harvey's.
"I know, I'm just trying to save you from having to have a conversation with Hector from accounting. He's been eyeing you since we walked over here."
He subtly glances over his shoulder and spots Hector, a newly-divorced middle-aged man that hardly met Harvey's shoulder with his height glaring over at him and Donna.
"What would you do without me," Donna adds with a laugh. The bartender hands her a new drink and she reaches across Harvey to grab it. In doing so, he pinky brushes against the back of his hand and he feels his pulse begin to race. Heat pulses through his palm and spreads from his arm into his cheeks. He looks away and coughs.
"Honestly, I'm not sure," he admits, looking her in the eye as he speaks. Hazel meets green and she blushes at the compliment.
"I should go," Donna says, shrugging in Rachel's direction.
"Donna," he calls after her. She turns back, his palm finds her elbow and he steps closer. Leaning in, he whispers, "You do look incredible in that dress."
She blinks, then stares up at him wide-eyed.
"Devil's advocate," he smirks.
Donna rolls her eyes, playfully nudges Harvey's arm and then struts over to Rachel.
He doesn't try and hide the fact that he's watching her walk away.
Across the room, Donna joins Rachel and a few women at the firm. Rachel shakes her head as Donna joins them and smirks.
"What?" Donna asks innocently.
"He's got nothing but eyes for you and you absolutely know it."
"I know no such thing." Donna folds one arm over her chest and takes a long sip of her drink. "Besides, teasing is an art form."
"I knew it!" Rachel exclaims.
Donna hushes her, takes her arm and leads her away from the rest of the group.
"You two are sleeping together!" Rachel squeals once they're out of earshot of the others.
Donna doesn't say a word.
"Oh my god, is this some kind of weird foreplay?!"
"There you are," Mike smiles, arm slipping around Rachel's waist.
"What are you ladies talking about?"
Donna's eyes widen.
"Shoes," Rachel replies. She doesn't miss a beat.
Gesturing to Rachel's heels Mike proudly smiles, "Did Rachel tell you I helped pick those out?"
As the party begins to wind down, Donna retrieves her coat from her office and waits for one of the elevators in the lobby. She drapes the coat over her shoulders and presses the down button.
Footsteps announce the arrival of someone beside her. "Donna," Harvey greets. He's got his suit coat on and buttoned.
"Harvey," she says, not turning to look at him.
The elevator dings. They both step in.
Turning to face the doors, they watch as they close on the party, leaving them alone for the first time all evening.
Without hesitation, Harvey turns to Donna, walks her four steps back so her back hits the elevator wall with a soft thud, and captures her bottom lip between his teeth.
The palm of his hand slaps the wall next to her head as he presses their bodies together and deepens their kiss. His lips are hit against hers, he drags them against her cheek, up to her ear where he gently nibbles down. She uses her knee to tug him closer, his belt scraping against her core through the fabric of her dress. Greedily, he slips his fingers into her hair.
When they finally part for air, she looks up at him with dark wanting eyes, her lipstick smudged and fingers digging into his shoulder. She pushes him back slightly, allowing her to reach around him and hit the emergency stop button.
"You really are the devil, huh?" Harvey smirks.
"I don't think this is a bad decision," Donna says softly, "do you?"
She swallows his answer, tugging the front of his shirt towards her until he's pinned her back against the wall.
He steps between her legs, not having intended for this to get so heated. Before he can question if this is the right place for them to be doing this, she drags her lips over the pulse point on his neck that she knows drives him wild and he's lost in a haze of her.
He reaches down and bunches her dress at the waist, wasting no time he grinds against her in desperate need to increase the friction between them.
She works to free him of his tie as he devours her neck, hands greedily roaming over her back before settling on her breasts. They didn't do this. They'd set a clear boundary between work and play. But tonight, my god , tonight, watching her work the room in this dress, watching her tease him, he couldn't take it. Couldn't wait until they got back to his place. He needed her. Right here. Right now.
Harvey once again nips on Donna's lower lip and captures her sigh with his lips as his hands begin to travel down her sides, her legs drawing him forward and anchoring her closer to him.
Tilting her head back, Donna watches Harvey's face as she slips a hand between their bodies and runs her thumb up his thigh. She stops just shy of the bulge in his pants and watches as he bites down on the corner of his lower lip, his eyes as narrow as slits.
"Donna." It's a warning and a plea.
She leans forward, brushes her lips against his, dipping her hips just enough to be a tease.
Without warning, the elevator jolts and begins moving.
Harvey steadies Donna, then releases his hold on her and allows her to fix up her hair before the doors open on the next floor.
Harvey adjusts his belt, fixes his own hair and then retrieves Donna's coat from where it had been toasted and holds it out to her.
Wordlessly, they stand facing the door, waiting for it to open.
Before it does, Harvey leans back and whispers, "to be continued?"
The door slowly opens to reveal an extremely flustered Louis.
"Oh, thank god! Are you guys okay?"
"We're fine Louis," Harvey says. They step out of the elevator.
"What happened?" Louis asks.
"Just stopped working," Harvey shrugs.
"Well, thank goodness you two are alright!"
After Louis finally agrees to let Harvey and Donna leave, they step back into a different elevator, this time with a few more guests leaving the party. Standing in the back corner, Harvey reaches out and links his pinky with Donna's where no one can see. She smiles at him, then looks away.
Once they reach the lobby, everyone filters out of the elevator. Donna studies her reflection in the glass, horrified at how disheveled her makeup and hair look.
"Ready? Ray's waiting outside."
"Do you think they know?" Donna asks, gesturing back to the building.
Harvey slips his hand into hers as they exit the building.
"Not a chance."