A little Halloween fun. Hope you'll enjoy it along with Harvey and Donna.
Masquerade
Donna stepped out of a black shiny limousine onto Park Avenue with the poise of a queen. She breathed in the crisp autumn air, so deliciously cool, carrying the aroma of an exciting night.
She adjusted the elaborated black beaded lace mask that covered the upper part of her face and lifted the long skirt of her stunning dress to avoid getting it dirty, before walking to the entrance of the illustrious Waldorf-Astoria.
Her elegance and refinement attracted the eyes of those who were around her.
Men in neatly pressed, designer tuxedos and women in flowing ball gowns kept arriving to New York City's most exquisite gala of the Fall, all of them with their faces hidden behind fascinating masquerade masks.
The annual masquerade ball had been something Donna looked forward to all year long. It was the reason she asked Harvey for the Halloween off.
As soon as she entered the reception, she was engulfed by the sumptuous, captivating atmosphere. It was an opportunity to conceal oneself in order to enjoy an evening free of ties, connections, and relations.
It was exciting.
Donna wasn't the Best Closer's secretary that night. She was a stranger, a gorgeous stranger looking for diversion. No one would dare a guess that it was her behind the mask and not even her fiery cascade of red hair could tell her away. After all, this wasn't a ball for secretaries, it was a high society affair. A commoner like her would never be allowed in the élite.
She walked across the Silver Corridor towards the Grand Ballroom, and with confidence and grace, she left her invitation on a silver tray held by a Footman that stood near the large entrance.
God, Harvey would kill her if he knew she was there.
Moreover, Donna was certain that if someone discovered her, it would put his reputation on the line. After all, she dared to borrow an invitation addressed to him.
The beauty of the grand ballroom didn't fail to take Donna's breath away. The glow of a thousand lights adorned a magnificent crystal chandelier overhead the bustling place, the marble floor gleamed in the light cast by charming candelabras of multiple arms that stood close to enormous columns, columns that held up a ceiling that seemed to be as tall as the building itself. Two and three stories above the floor, two tiers of balconies ran around three sides of the ballroom for dining and spectators.
The place was magnificent.
Music wafted from the bottom of the room, where an orchestra performed on a luxurious stage close to a splendid buffet.
Donna pressed her lips together to avoid a mischievous smile. Suddenly, she felt in her element, and she was going to have a hell of a time.
Men and women danced to a soft, enchanting jazz piece in the center of the ballroom as she wandered between the guests that conversed on the sides. Some laughed, gossiping the latest news in the city, others were already inebriated with champagne. The only thing all those people had in common with her was that they were all masqueraded.
It made it all enigmatically fun.
Donna could tell despite the disguises, several women cast her askew glances of curiosity or envy. She suspected they would. Most of those socialites bore masks behind their masks to cover up their true pathetic selves all year long.
The attention made Donna held her head a little higher, she was Donna Paulsen after all.
She smiled to herself aware of the gazes of the partners of those women looking at her too, with clear desire to have her. Donna had a glow that inspired confidence, furthermore she was gorgeous. Her fiery red hair was only the crown to an amazing personality and stunning beauty and she knew it.
But she wasn't particularly attracted to any of the men, she simply enjoyed thoroughly the fact that they were smitten by her.
xoxo
Even though Harvey lost his invitation to the masquerade ball, and Donna never answered her phone to help him find it, he managed to attend the frivolous gathering. His goal was to follow one of his clients into the gala and persuade him to take an appealing deal, but the moment Harvey arrived to the party, he realized that it would be almost impossible to find his client in a masquerade.
Nevertheless, he decided to have a drink before leaving the event. After all he took his time to look his best. Harvey wore a Brioni tux and a simple but elegant mask that covered the upper part of his face. It somehow made him feel like the Phantom of the Opera; incredibly handsome but distant, probably a good thing since all the ladies in the room wanted him so badly and he wasn't in the mood.
But he wasn't in the mood until he saw her.
The most gorgeous redhead he'd seen in his life. Harvey almost dropped his glass of champagne, suddenly feeling the way Mike felt when he was nervous. He was certain that he'd never seen that dazzlingly beautiful woman among the Manhattan elite, but she looked familiar.
Whatever, ―he thought.
The flaming redhead made the rest of the ladies disappear, and Harvey suddenly knew that he was meant to have her that night.
Just as Donna stood among inquisitive eyes, she saw a tall shadow approaching from the corner of her eye. She turned her head unexpectedly coming face to face with a strikingly handsome man. He was only an inch taller than her, his light brown hair was far more than perfect and his mask highlighted the depth of his chocolate brown eyes.
Donna found herself unable to look away from them.
They were so familiar― he was so familiar, but Donna knew that nobody she was acquainted with could be in the party.
The nameless stranger gave her a shy smile and suddenly, he shifted something inside her. Donna found herself loving the way his gaze made her feel. It was lusciously intriguing, intimidating yet welcoming.
Harvey extended his hand, silently offering her to lead her in a dance.
Donna's heart began to beat faster, a strange feeling enveloped her. She ignored it. Finding the anonymity exciting, she allowed the mysterious guest to lead her onto the dance floor.
She closed her eyes and relished in the way his hands encircled her waist, his face almost caressed the side of her face. Donna had never been so close to a stranger before, but she felt oddly comfortable with him.
It was as if she knew him, as if they had met before.
Harvey wanted her.
Hell, she was like a sweet course set to be savored thoroughly. The perfume of her skin was mesmerizing. Harvey knew he had felt it before, but couldn't tell where. All he knew was that he wanted more than a dance from her.
One of his hands moved softly to rest on the bare skin of her back, soft and smooth, alluring. He pulled her closer against him.
His touch sent a shiver down her spine. Donna suddenly found herself naughty and reckless in the things she wanted from him, things that went far beyond the dance they were sharing. Her hands rested on his shoulders as he led her on the white marble floor. They didn't exchange a word, nothing had to be said; with every note the orchestra played and every move they made, Harvey and Donna gave silent consent to a very intimate courtship.
For a second, she caught the glimpse of his eyes travelling over the curve of her neck, down to the cleavage, where her body was confined by a corset. Harvey had no idea that those were the same marvelous curves he had the pleasure to admire every day at work, whenever Donna swayed into his office.
His desire for the beautiful stranger grew with every passing moment. He longed her body, to be inside her and consume her once and for all. The woman was going to be the death of him.
Donna's hands went from his shoulders to rest on the muscles of his arms in a soft caress. He was strong, she could tell that he was a sportsman, maybe a boxer like Harvey, and probably just as good as him in bed.
Donna smiled to herself at the thought.
All of a sudden Harvey took her hand, their fingers entwined together as he quickly led her away from the crowd of dancers and behind the nearest column. Harvey didn't have to ask for the permission she was more than willing to give. Boldly he pulled her into his arms, against his chest. It made it all so arousing.
He dipped closer so his lips touched her ear.
"Let me take you somewhere else."
His whisper sent a shiver straight to Donna's soul.
There was something in his voice…
She nodded, unable to utter a response.
Harvey took her to a recess across the ballroom, a secluded spot immersed in the dimness. It was private enough for Donna to drop all her inhibitions, and public enough to be excitingly risky.
Harvey pressed her back against a wall and ran his hand over the fabric of her dress down her thigh, pulling her firmly against him for a second time. She slipped her arms around his neck, sighing softly at the pleasant sensation. Their hearts pounded in their chests as she took the lead, lifting her foot up his calf. He closed his eyes when her leg wrapped around the back of his thigh.
It felt so good.
Their responses were so intense, they both acknowledged a certain familiarity in the heated tempo. It was as if they had shared a moment like this before, they couldn't mull it over though. Their bodies pressed against each other ached with need, blurring their senses.
Their lips met in a frenzied kiss.
As soon as their lips touched, everything disappeared and nothing else existed but the two of them. His hands moved down her body, so indecorously and mad, and she slightly arched her back letting him know how much she approved.
"I want to take you hard," he whispered against her lips.
She murmured an unintelligible approval.
His voice, her murmur, the caresses were so well-known to them. They parted the kiss inebriated on each other, suddenly acknowledging why everything was so familiar. Her perfume mixed with the fragrance of her skin reminded Harvey of the only woman that had the talent of subduing him body and soul, and he recognized her because making love with Donna was an unforgettable experience.
His stomach turned upside down.
It thrilled him to be able to have her this way again, but it frightened him how unaware she seemed to be that it was him.
He paused his ministrations when he saw the look in her eyes, and Harvey suddenly knew that she was aware of who he was.
Her stomach flipped.
Donna breathed in the warmth of his breath, a mix of self-importance, law, and champagne. Nevertheless, she knew Scotch ran in his veins, because she had loved that man once and forever. Donna was abruptly aware that Harvey was the man holding her, wanting her more than anything in the world.
They were pushed over the edge of sanity by an irony of life. Their faces were an inch away from each other, whilst a laugh of incredulity threatened to bubble straight from their hearts. It seemed that fate had its way to trick-or-treat them, though they couldn't tell if they had been tricked or treated.
Harvey's hand went to remove the mask from his face, and in the dimness Donna saw him.
It was like having a bucket of cold water dumped on her head.
He silently reached up to caress the skin of her cheek, warming up her soul, before his fingers dared to ever so slowly strip Donna from her mask. Her beautiful face was exposed to the faint light.
Harvey felt as if someone had punched him in the stomach.
"Say something," Donna paused, engulfed in emotion. "Something you shouldn't."
It was only after a moment of regaining his composure that Harvey managed to speak.
"Wanna go Trick-or-Treating?"
Donna tilted her head to a side, her lips curved into a soft smile. Harvey's innuendo was blatantly obvious.
"I've got a lot of candy in my apartment," she let out a quiet laugh before he captured her lips in a kiss. His hands found their way into her glorious hair as she wrapped her arms around his waist, their bodies increased the flowing desire between them.
"Just for tonight," her words almost got lost in the kiss.
"Just for tonight." Harvey approved.
It was going to be a Halloween to remember.
THE END
Thanks so much for reading! Happy Halloween!