I just wanted to thank everyone for the AMAZING feedback I received on chapter one. It really means the world – AND it inspired me to get chapter two posted much faster that I planned. Hopefully, this serves as good position reinforcement =P
Fingers crossed that this stacks up with the first one!
««« ×ǁ MILESTONES ǁ× »»»
It's been two weeks since everything changed between them. Two weeks of waking up to tangled limbs, wandering hands, bright eyes, and wild red hair. Two week of aching bodies and barely any sleep, of stolen glances, and secret touches. Two weeks of whispered flirting in the office and enthusiastically loud sex at home.
It's been a freaking great two weeks.
The problem is that now the week is over and all he wants to do is take her home and rip her out of the dress that's been teasing him for the past two hours.
But, he can't, because tonight the firm is hosting an event for all of their biggest clients – Louis's idea in order to assure everyone that, despite Robert's departure, they're still as strong and dedicated as ever.
So, instead of peeling her out of her clothes and having her on one of many surfaces at his condo, he's got to schmooze with clients and try to pretend like he's focused on something other than how insanely hot she looks tonight.
With everything that's happening at the firm, Donna thought it would be best to keep their newfound relationship quiet for now – and even though he's had more than enough of hiding his feelings for her, he agreed because… well, because, after all these years, he still sucks at saying no to her.
Still, he honestly didn't think it would be this hard. Considering the years he spent suppressing his feelings for her, he didn't expect that having to do it for just a little bit longer would be that difficult.
But now that they're actually together – Christ, it's hard.
It's like, now that he's actually allowed to touch her, not touching her is almost painful. And now that he actually gets to watch her get dressed in the morning, not picturing her standing in her closet wearing just her bra and panties is becoming increasingly problematic.
He just wants her all the time.
Now that they're together, it's like all of his fucked up, possessive instincts have kicked into high gear and all he wants to do is mark up her neck, kiss her in the middle of the office, and have his hands on her every minute of every day.
It's not something he's ever experienced with anyone else and he's not exactly proud of the feeling, but he just can't seem to help himself because… well, it's Donna.
So, when he notices the man by the bar eyeing her, he suddenly can't stop noticing.
He tries to let it go, he tells himself it doesn't matter, but there's just something inside him that is absolutely revolted by the fact that everything thinks she's available and that no one knows she's his (and he's hers).
He feels like a caveman for thinking it, but it's true.
Regardless, he tries to control himself. He tries to stay put and engage in conversations with clients, doing his best to provide reassurance when needed. He tries to fight the urge to glance in her direction every other second. He tries not to walk right over there and stake his claim.
He really tries.
And he actually manages to restrain himself for what feels like hours, but is actually only twenty minutes, before he just can't do it a second longer.
With the decision made, he waltzes across the room, finding her on her way to the bar, in need of a refill. Clearly sensing his approach, she lifts her head and fixes him with a smile that causes his heartrate to immediately climb. His hands are practically itching to touch her, but he's somehow able to implement enough restraint to keep them at his sides.
"Hey," he greets her, allowing himself to inch just a tad too close.
"Hi," she says, blushing slightly, in response to the way he's absolutely undressing her with his eyes.
"So… how much longer until I can get you out of this dress?" He murmurs, keeping his voice quiet, but doing nothing to hide the clearly flirtatious grin on his face.
"We've barely been here an hour," she chuckles, enjoying his impatience.
"I don't think I can wait much longer," he tells her, practically pleading with his eyes. All he wants to do is be alone with her – somewhere he can kiss her and touch her and not think twice.
"Well, then maybe you should work on your self-control," she quips, obviously pleased with herself. She can't help it – she loves the way he wants her nowadays.
"Maybe you should stop testing it," he retorts, almost growling out the words. "I mean… you clearly wore this on purpose," he accuses, gesturing at her dress, as his eyes linger all the way down her body. "You know how I feel about you in green," he says, giving her a pointed look.
And well, the way he's eyeing her… now, she really wants to get out of here, too.
"One more round and then we can leave," she negotiates, not wanting to give in too easily.
A grin immediately sweeps across his face as relishes his victory, already thinking about everything he wants to do to her the second they get home. "Deal," he agrees.
He's already counting down the seconds.
(→→ ←←)
Waking up to the feel of cold sheets underneath his fingertips, a frown is skating across his lips before he even bothers to lift his lids.
He gives it a moment – listening for any sign of her in her apartment, hoping she's just in the bathroom and planning to slip right back into bed.
Except, when he's met with nothing but silence, he refuses to wait another second, immediately sliding out of bed to look for her.
After years of waking up to that side of the bed completely empty, it really shouldn't be as big of a deal as it is. But, waking up to her in the mornings has been one of the many highlights of these last few weeks – her warm body snuggled up against him, her sleepy smile finding his as soon as he opens his eyes, and the languid make out sessions that typically to lead to something more.
They haven't been together long, but he's already grown accustomed to having her next to him. Yeah, waking up without her just isn't the same
The hardwood floors are cool against his feet as he pads across his bedroom, hoping to find her in the kitchen, ready to be talked right back into bed.
He's walking through the threshold of her living room when he finds her – in the midst of a yoga pose that makes his feet stall and his heart stutter. She's face down, her arms stretched out in front of her and her knees bended outside of her hips, pressing her upper body against the floor while her ass is in the air, pointed right in his direction.
The position, plus the tank top and tiny shorts she's wearing, make him want to devour her right then and there.
He's about to tell her as much when she gracefully shifts into another pose, forcing him to swallow a groan. Now, she's on her knees, her upper body still pressed to the floor and her arms reaching in front of her. Most importantly, her ass is still up in the air and he can't possibly tear his eyes away.
He can't pretend he never thought about her like this – when he'd watch her walk away from his desk, already wearing her leggings, hurrying to make it to her seven o'clock class; or when she'd come in on a Saturday morning, her hair still wet from the shower, complaining that she was sore after her power yoga session.
Yeah, images of her like this, they've crossed his mind once or twice.
But, the reality is so much better than he ever could've conjured up.
He's already thinking about buying her a yoga mat for his place, so he'll get to witness this more often.
"Enjoying yourself?" Donna calls out to him, her voice full of sass as she pulls him from his thoughts. He can't even see her face, but he knows the exact smirk that is painted across her lips.
She's smug and he loves it.
"Yeah, I really am," he grins, leaning against the doorway while continuing to savor the show. "I think I just became a fan of yoga," he quips, continuing to ravage her with his eyes.
"Hmm… that so?" She responds, switching positions so she's on her feet, bending over with her hands on the floor. He swears, she's doing this on purpose – she's got to be. "Care to join me, then?" She challenges, lowering her head so she can get her first peek at him.
And as much as he clearly enjoys looking at her right now, she enjoys looking at him just as much.
She loves Harvey all kinds of ways – when he's kicking ass in Tom Ford, so formidable and strong as he commands the room; when he's looking completely casual and relaxed in ways hardly anyone ever gets to see him; when he's in the boxing ring, his muscles on display, and working up a sweat; when he's teasing or flirting or making her laugh while giving her a glimpse of that boyish grin; when he's lying in her bedsheets, all masculine and gorgeous, and the most enticing thing she's ever seen; when he's just done something he knows she'll like and he can't quite contain his smug excitement; when he's had one drink too many by the end of the evening and he's goofy and sleepy and saying whatever pops into his mind; when she inadvertently wiggles out of his grasp in the middle of the night and without waking up, he still manages to seek her out, moving closer and wrapping his arms around her until she's back in his embrace; when she catches his gaze on her and finds his pupils dilating with lust, making her feel more beautiful and wanted than anyone else ever has; when he's open and vulnerable and telling her everything he's thinking without her even having to ask.
She loves him all kinds of ways, and she couldn't possibly pick a favorite, but she swears, this, right here, right now, is definitely a contender.
Just woken up, tired eyes, voice still thick with sleep and hair sticking out in all directions as he stands in her living room. It's private and intimate and not something he shares with just anybody.
It gets her every single time.
Probably because it's a look that she never got to see before.
Looking at Harvey, she's thinking he must feel the same way because he's still looking her over, taking in this image he's never witnessed before either – her doing yoga.
"Well?" She prompts, reminding him that he has yet to answer her question.
"Huh?" He says, clearly in his own world.
Donna lets out a chuckle before she stands and moves towards him, relishing the way his eyes follow her across the room.
"Join me," she whispers before taking his hand and interlocking their fingers.
Harvey doesn't answer, though. Instead, he tugs on her hand, bringing her close enough for a kiss. Donna happily complies, standing on her toes to reach his lips before brushing her mouth against his, briefly sucking on his bottom lip. When she pulls away, she finds his eyes only just beginning to flutter open and she can't help but smile at the sight, Harvey's brain clearly not working at full speed. "C'mon," she urges, her voice layered with a slight plea. "You said you were a fan," she jokingly reminds him.
"I meant I was a fan of watching," he clarifies as both hands land on her body, his palms sliding up and down her sides, mapping out her form like he doesn't ever want to forget.
He thinks he's never been so infatuated with a woman's body as he is with hers. He's never had this constant urge to touch like he's been experiencing these last couple weeks. He just wants his hands on her all the time, physically unable to keep them to himself.
The thing is, he can't seem to get enough of her – no matter how much he's had.
Maybe it's because she's been off limits for so long, enticing him for years as she waltzed around his office. Or maybe it's something else – something more.
Either way, the feel of her body underneath his fingertips will never get old, he's sure of it.
"I bet you'll like it," she sings, still trying to encourage him as her palms slid over his shoulders.
"Oh I know I'll like it," he grins, still talking about watching and not doing. She's just about to roll her eyes when he adds, "I always like watching you."
Shaking her head, a chuckle develops in her throat. She is such a sap for his sweet talk and he knows it – barely two weeks in and he knows.
"Fine, you can watch," she agrees, pretending to be put out by the fact as she suddenly waltzes out of his grasp and back to her yoga mat.
The truth is, she will never not enjoy his open and obvious attraction to her – not after all the years she spent not being sure.
Nowadays, she doesn't take any of it for grantid – the fact that she never has to wonder, that he couldn't possibly make it more clear.
"But this is a one-time thing. Next time, you're joining me," she threatens, pointing a stern finger in his direction.
Harvey chuckles as he falls back on the couch, his eyes never leaving her.
Somehow, he doesn't hate the idea as much as he should.
(→→ ←←)
It's Tuesday morning and the sunlight is just starting to seep into his bedroom.
Meanwhile, he's still lying in his sheets, propped up on an elbow, resting his head in his hand, while his fingers curve around her waist, savoring her soft skin.
She's still sleeping, looking so beautiful and at peace.
He's been enjoying the sight for the last ten minutes, relishing the fact that she's in his bed, her breath tickling his chest while she's entrenched in her dreams.
It's so unlike him – to do something like this, to give up those last precious moments of rest just to watch a woman sleep beside him.
But, it's Donna; so, of course, it's different.
Twenty-two days into their relationship and he finds himself doing this a lot.
It's one of the best parts of his morning – having all the time in the world to quietly take in every bit of her. All that porcelain skin and those copper tresses, her golden freckles and delicate lashes, those full lips and rosy cheeks – sometimes, he can't believe how perfect she is.
It's just, these quiet moments, where he gets to linger in bed and enjoy her – it's everything his mornings had been missing in the past.
So yeah, sometimes, he wakes up a little earlier just so he gets to experience them – savor them.
Barely three weeks in and he can't stop thinking about how eternally grateful he is that she's here – that she's in his bed, her body molded against his – that she's in his life in the way he was always too scared to ask her to be.
It's been a whirlwind, these last three weeks.
Mostly because of the hearing and Robert and Samantha and Eric Caldor and Faye Richardson and Thomas and just trying to keep the firm from falling apart.
But also because of everything that's changed between them.
So much is different, but really, so much of it is the same, too.
She's still the most important person in his life; he just gets more of her now, so much more.
Still, after all these years of having this relationship he could never quite explain, sometimes he finds himself in awe of what he has now.
Now, he gets to pop into her office just because he wants to, he gets to lean in close and touch her as they flirt, he gets to openly appreciate the way she struts down the halls of the firm. Now, he gets to come home and just be with her after a long day, he gets to cuddle with her on the couch and run his fingers through her hair, he gets to peel off her clothing and fall into bed with her.
Now, he gets to fall asleep with his arms wrapped around her, her body pressed against his, and his face buried in her auburn curls.
Now, he gets to wake up beside her, he gets to roll around in the bedsheets with her, he gets to ogle her while she gets dressed for work.
Now, he gets to shower her with attention and affection without having to worry about whether she wants him to.
Now, he knows that she does.
Now, he gets to have all of her – everything.
Sometimes, he still can't believe that they're here, that it took them so long to get here, that he ignored his feelings for so long.
Barely three weeks into their relationship and he knows that she's the one.
He's pretty sure he knew it before he knocked on her front door twenty-two days ago.
She's absolutely everything to him, and now that they're together, now that he knows what it feels like to be hers – he knows he can't ever go back.
He's halfway down the rabbit hole of his love for her when Donna starts to shift beside him, pulling him from his reverie.
"I thought I told you to stop doing that," she mumbles, her eyes still shut, and her voice taking him by surprise.
Still, he can't help the big smile that sweeps across his face. "Doing what?" He grins, knowing exactly what she's referring to.
"Watching me – staring," she says, finally opening her eyes, those hazel irises sparkling in the morning sun.
"And I told you I couldn't make any promises," he reminds her, causing a giggle to fall from her lips. "I can't help it," he shrugs, still grinning. "I love looking at you," he beams.
And well, he can see he's got her there, her eyes lighting up as her fingers trace his bicep.
Harvey expels a content sigh, taking in how happy she looks and relishing his part in it. He's not sure he'll ever get over the fact that he can do that now.
"I love you, you know," he tells her, completely genuine, as the pad of his thumb brushes against her cheek.
In twenty-two days, he had yet to say it, but he's certain that she knows – he feels like he's made it as clear as he could have without actually saying the words out loud. Still, he's been meaning to officially spell it out for her, for days.
If he's being honest, it feels really good to say it for the first time.
"Yeah?" She asks, smiling big.
"Yeah," he nods. "I really do," he promises as he tucks a lock of hair behind her ear.
Her smile widens as she cups his jaw and leans in, catching his lips in a bruising kiss. Harvey hmms against her mouth, his fingers getting lost in her hair as he nips at her tongue.
They keep it going until they're no longer able to breath and are forced apart, their eyes fluttering open and looking deep into each other's souls.
"I meant it back then, too – the last time I said it," he wants her to know. "It scared me how much I meant it," he admits, twirling a strand of hair around his finger. "I wasn't trying to take it back, I was just – I was so jumbled up inside and I was terrified of screwing things up between us… even though that's exactly what I ended up doing," he continues, the look on his face apologetic and ashamed.
"Harvey, it's okay. That's in the past," she assures him, the memory no longer triggering the sorrow and regret that it used to. "We're here, now," she reminds him, a smile trickling across her mouth.
"I know," he agrees with a nod. "I just hate that it took so long," he shrugs. He can't help it – it still bothers him. All the time they missed, all the years they could've been together, and all the shit they put each other through.
"I get it… but maybe we needed to go through all of that to get here?" She proposes. "I mean… now, we're so much stronger, now we're going to last," she tells him, confidently.
"Yeah, we are," he concurs, his smile finally reappearing.
He has absolutely no doubt.
««« ×ǁ MILESTONES ǁ× »»»
Don't forget to leave a review! Any feedback is so appreciated! (I especially love hearing which parts you like better than others).
And happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Americans!
Since we can't really enjoy a normal Thanksgiving holiday, I'm hoping to put all this free time to good use and get some more chapters banked for later. Wish me luck!