THAT PARIS WEEKEND CHAPTER 12 - Just a couple of naughty words here folks. Happy reading!
Text #1
"WTF! ARE YOU SHITTING ME!?"
Eggplant emoji!
Eggplant emoji!
Eggplant emoji!
Text #2
"Called 10 times. Answer your damn phone!
Jesus. At least you kissed her back this time.
Wait. You did last time too…"
Eyes emoji!
Text #3
"Couldn't be happier, Batman.
Call me when you're not having sex.
Never mind. Call me anyway."
Eggplant emoji + Thumbs Up emoji.
"So I got 10 calls and 3 texts from Mike…," Harvey chuckles as he scrolls his phone."Eggplant emojis are good, right?"
Donna's phone has also been buzzing since she's turned it on.
"Tried calling you! IT'S ABOUT TIME! You two are meant to be together. I can't wait to hear all about it. You deserve the best. Say hi to Harvey! Love you & miss you. "
Heart emoji!
Kiss emoji!
Heart emoji!
"I have five calls and a very sweet text, minus the pervy emojis, from Rachel," Donna replies. "Rachel says hi and I owe her a phone call."
Harvey turns to Donna as they wait for their luggage. "It's only been a few days, but it feels like a lot longer since I left New York," he says, as he gives Donna a kiss on the temple, his hand gently sitting at her waist.
"Well, a lot has happened. I have to say, Mr. Specter, I never took you for being so affectionate," she says, leaning in to accept the kiss. "It's going to take some getting used to."
Donna and Harvey step out of the airport to find Ray waiting. He greets them both and takes their bags as Donna slips into the plush back seat of the Lexus.
Ray notices that Harvey looks years younger, a marked difference from when he dropped him off just four days earlier. "Welcome back, Harvey. Good trip?" he asks.
"Thanks, Ray… the best." Harvey responds with a single nod of his head, and Ray offers him a knowing smile.
In the back of the car, Harvey immediately takes Donna's hand, loosely linking his fingers with hers. He turns to her, not completely sure what to do next.
"Now that we're back home, I don't want to assume anything…" He's looking at her cautiously. "But maybe you could stay at my place… or I could stay at yours? I promised Louis I'd be in first thing, so it's going to be an early morning for me either way."
Donna smiles to herself. She can feel a warmth rising across her chest. It didn't even occur to Harvey that they would not wake up together once they returned. This really is going to take some getting used to.
"How about my place?" she suggests. "I have a full day of meetings, so I'll be going in a little later. Besides, maybe it's best we don't go in together just yet."
xxx
Donna unlocks her apartment door and pushes it open as Harvey follows her in with their luggage. He takes a deep breath as he passes the gold "206" at the entrance. He's really only been to her place a handful of times, and with the exception of that God-awful dinner party with her mother, it's always been because he's needed something.
The last time Harvey saw those gold numbers was no different. It was all a blur after he found her resignation letter on his desk. Her words jolted him like a bolt of lightning.
"Dear Harvey…Effective immediately, I, Donna Paulsen, hereby resign from the firm…". He panicked and without a second thought, immediately severed the tie he needed to.
The next thing he knew, he was staring at her with glassy eyes, ripping up that piece of paper right in front of her face. Harvey was sure this gesture made clear his priorities, but as he'd come to learn in Paris, there were so many things he's gotten wrong all these years.
As he enters her apartment, Harvey scans the space, taking in all the changes. It looks nothing like he remembers. There's no doubt that Donna has great taste and an eye for design, the place looks like it's straight out of a magazine. But it's also a bitter reminder of how far apart they had grown in the past year, and how much has changed in her life without him even being aware.
"I know you mentioned the renovation to me, but this place looks completely different… You did a great job," he says, a little relieved that he still recognizes the sofa. "It's a lot more modern than I thought you'd go for."
"Thanks, Harvey," she responds, as she sets her keys down on a small glass table near the entrance. "I was ready for a change. It took me a while to get used to it, though."
Harvey can't help but wonder if he was responsible for her need to make such a drastic change. If this renovation was her way of removing herself from the past, and from the space where so much had gone on between them. He tries to push the guilt away.
Although they've spent the better part of a day travelling, it is still relatively early in the evening in New York. Harvey is feeling the effects of the long flight and he can see that Donna is also tired.
"You hungry or can I pour you a drink?" he asks as he lightly massages her shoulders. His touch instantly relaxes her.
"I'm good. What about you? And there's scotch on the cart over there," she says, pointing towards the window, the lights of the city twinkling in the distance.
"I'm fine, but let's have a drink," he offers, as he walks towards the cart. "Our first night together in New York, that's worth celebrating."
Harvey pours them a couple of drinks, lays them on the coffee table and motions for Donna to come sit.
Donna drops down at the end of the sofa as she tries to navigate this new energy between them. Sitting close, Harvey pulls her legs over his lap, and she can feel the warmth of his hands on her knees.
Donna has to admit that seeing Harvey in her apartment like this does feel a little strange. There isn't the tension that's accompanied his past visits, and she catches herself waiting, almost expecting it to come.
Taking a deep breath to shake off the feeling, she tries to reminds herself of what Harvey has shown her over the last two days.
This is different, everything is different.
Watching her, Harvey furrows his brow. He notices her mind wandering and is not sure how to read the expression on her face.
"This all feels very… new, doesn't it, in your apartment?" He remembers their history here and he feels it too.
The last time he sat this closely to her was on this very sofa. It was years ago, and just the thought of that night makes his insides churn. He made a mistake then, a big mistake in a moment of weakness. He knew he had to leave because he was afraid of what he might do, but he couldn't help himself, he told her anyway. Told her he loved her and then he ran away.
Harvey has lived with that regret for so long, that he's having trouble believing it's all magically in the past. Now they're here, together, and she loves him. He needs reassurance that it's all true because he never, ever wants to go back to what they once were.
"It feels a little different," Her voice shakes him from his thoughts. With a sweet smile, she adds, "But I can get used to seeing your pretty face in my apartment. "I think I'll keep you."
"Good." Harvey exhales and offers a smile in return. Just what he needs to hear.
"Harvey, I don't think I've said this before… thank you for coming to Paris. I'm not sure you'll ever know what that meant to me. What you did… it's changed our lives, you know?" Donna can feel her eyes getting damp as she tries to come to terms with what has been the craziest weekend either of them has ever experienced.
"For you, I would do it again in a heartbeat, but it should have never come to that," he admits, shaking his head. "I should have never pushed you away when I could have fixed this. It's my own damn fault."
Clearly frustrated with himself, Harvey lets out a deep sigh.
Seeing his expression, Donna reaches for his hand, and gives it a light squeeze. As she's done so many times before, she holds him with her gaze, her eyes not letting him retreat into himself.
"Before we go any further, we need to be clear about something, right now." Her words are firm but her tone is gentle. "We've both made mistakes, Harvey. We both weren't ready before. And we both deserve this now."
His lips pressed firmly together, he acknowledges her words with a small nod. Sipping their drinks, they sit quietly for a minute, each lost in their own thoughts.
Then Harvey turns to her. "Now that we're back home, maybe we need to start over?"
Donna tilts her head, curious as to what he's thinking.
With the corners of his mouth forming the tiniest smile, and his eyes sincere, Harvey puts out his hand as if to shake hers. "Hi I'm…"
Donna interrupts, batting her eyelashes. "I know who you are, you're Harvey Specter, and today is your lucky day."
"Why is that?" he asks playfully, laugh lines forming around his eyes.
"Because today is the day you get to kiss Donna." She leans towards him with her teasing.
Harvey's eyes go wide. "Wait a minute, I don't recall it going exactly like that…"
"I recall you being very ready, willing and able…" she quips.
"Still am," he flirts back, his darkening pupils lasering in on hers.
Donna cocks her head, knowing that Harvey is always game to flirt. Holding up her glass she says, "I'd like to propose a toast… to forgiveness, to new beginnings and to fireworks."
"Fireworks?" Harvey asks, as they "clink" their glasses.
"This morning?" she gives him a knowing stare. "It's been a long day, Harvey, but it was just this morning that you more than kissed Donna."
"Oh I remember… definitely fireworks," he says, his voice going seductively low. Sometimes he can barely keep up with her. But she has this way of making him feel lighter and he loves it.
"And you've also given me something else to think about every fifteen minutes." He's actually not kidding.
Donna shakes her head because those words are exactly what she'd expect from him, and she loves that.
Harvey leans towards her, his eyes adoring what he sees. They share a gentle kiss, but it's not the kind of expectant, hopeful kiss that new lovers share. It's one of those slow, lazy, comfortable kisses that long-time couples engage in. On the surface it might look like a routine sign of affection, but when their mouths meet, they both taste the familiarity, commitment and trust that only comes with a shared history.
"C'mon, let's go to bed," Donna says as she stands and pulls Harvey up.
As she leads him by the hand to the bedroom, she jokes, "What are the chances that we can go back to Paris next weekend?"
"We can go back any time you want, but I'm going mudding with Louis next weekend."
Donna stops in her tracks, quickly turns to face him and pulls on his hand.
"You're what?" Her eyes are as wide as saucers.
"That was the price I had to pay for taking off so quickly to save your ass." His tone telling her it's all been worth it.
"Mudding with Louis?" Donna knows this is an off-the-charts sacrifice for Harvey. With a smirk, she says, "You must really love me. Can I watch?"
"No, you can't watch. I might have to medicate myself first," he warns. "And yes, I really love you."
xxx
As they're getting ready to call it a night, Harvey heads to the kitchen to leave his wallet and keys on the counter for the morning. As he pours a couple of glasses of water, he notices Thomas Kessler's business card sitting next to the coffeemaker, and his mood instantly changes.
Bastard.
Harvey knows that relationship is very much over, and he recognizes that he's being irrational, but the sight of it unsettles him. His instinct is to throw it away, but he also knows it's not his place to do that.
As Harvey walks back into the bedroom, Donna notices a change in his demeanor as he sets the glass on her bedside table. His shoulders are slumped and she can tell there's a distance in his eyes.
"You know, Louis could have roped you into doing worse than mudding. You're getting off lucky," she says, sensing he's unhappy.
"That's not it…" he confesses, feeling sheepish.
"What's wrong?" she asks, as she sits up.
"Just saw Kessler's business card in your kitchen." He quickly glances at her, almost embarrassed that he's so affected. "I know it shouldn't bother me, but it does."
"Oh." Donna raises her eyebrows in surprise. She hops out of bed, and within seconds, returns with the card in her hand.
"This one?" she confirms, holding it up.
Harvey's back is resting against the headboard. Jaw tensed, he nods.
Wearing nothing but a navy blue negligee, Donna walks straight to his side of the bed. She stands alongside it, her eyes firmly locked on his, and proceeds to rip the card in half. Then she tears it into quarters and promptly throws the shreds into the garbage.
It's not lost on Harvey that Donna is doing to the business card what he did with her resignation letter, and it comforts him. This is one of the many reasons why he loves her so much. She understands him enough to do exactly that. To know just what he needs.
Harvey's eyes follow her as she gets back into bed. He turns on his side to meet her as she lifts the duvet.
"Better?" she asks, her eyes pooling with affection.
"Much," he admits as he swallows. "I'm sorry, Donna. It might take me a little while."
Donna leans into Harvey. His face in her soft hands as she delivers a warm, reassuring kiss to his mouth. She's always sensed that the men in her past have affected him, but she's only now realizing just how much.
"I'm sure I'll have my issues too..." she says, knowing that Harvey has no idea how deeply his dating history has affected her over the years.
"You realize that you have always been and will always be my first choice, right?" Donna treats him to one extra scoop of assurance.
Harvey nods as he nestles closer to her in bed, their legs tangled as he pulls her in.
"And you've always been mine." He never wants her to doubt him again.
Tonight, they are sharing Donna's bed for the second time. And while they might easily fall into it, they're also realizing they can just as easily fall into the old habits and insecurities that have hurt them in the past.
"Just keep reminding me and I'll keep reminding you…" she whispers.
"...and we'll be ok," he whispers back, finishing her sentence.
Drawing her face to his, Harvey delivers a deep and passionate kiss that rushes through Donna's body. He moans when she presses herself against him in response. Just inches away from her now, he tickles her cheek with his nose, and whispers in her ear, "What are the chances that I can more than kiss Donna again?
She leans back to look at him, and giggles, "I think they're more than good."
Within seconds, Harvey pulls his t-shirt off and his phone begins to buzz. He quickly reaches for it to find another text from Mike.
"You haven't called. You better be having sex."
Harvey shakes his head and replies…
Eggplant emoji!
Flame emoji!
Heart emoji!
…and then he powers off his phone.
.