Handling Complications
Harvey and Donna were attending the annual Gala the firm hosted to make sure the clients felt well-looked after (if not coddled) and seen as important. This year was especially important after the Robert debacle mixed in with a heavy dose of master Faye from the BAR Association. Donna had tried hard to convince Louis that the right plan was to keep a low key profile, to which Louis responded "Of course Donna! Do we think a 12 course french meal puttered out at the Ritz Carlton is low-brow enough?"
Donna was at her wits end trying to get Louis not to act on his impulses, keeping him on a short leash as she dealt with the finances of a Litt Extravaganza. Every day ended with a battle between them, her becoming the louis whisperer full time as she balanced her status as COO as well.
But now, as she looked around the venue of their library that she managed to convince Louis acted as a humble yet chic venue for the party- she realized it was all worth it.
The countless arguments over champagne versus chablis red wine, buffet versus cater waiters, the great debate of bacon wrapped dates versus foie gras with a side of snails and truffles (settled to a draw of goat cheese stuffed figs with golden flecks); the god damn chandeliers he'd wanted to install into the library's ceiling- the amount of nights she'd spent unpacking her days around louis's craziness while amusing to no end to Harvey, and aggravating to her- all seemed to pay off as she surveilled the fairy lights around the library, with all the tables gone except for a few high tables sprinkled on the upper level of the library. She'd also managed to convince Louis to keep the guest list to 150 and for them to have an open bar and a few appetizers roaming around.
Donna grabbed a champagne flute from the bar and took a long sip of the bubbly. It was well deserved, after all.
She smoothed down her dress as she walked down the stairs and smirked at herself, remembering Harvey's reaction to her dress.
It was different from her usual attire at these firm events, she usually opted for long formal dresses, but tonight, in honor of her 'low-key' theme, she put on a brand new dolce and gabbana brown dress. It was long sleeved, off the cuff shoulders highlighting her collarbones and freckled shoulders (which Harvey more than loved as he nipped and sucked on her clavicle when he saw her). The length of the dress was short, hitting midway on her thigh complimenting her body's form as it highlighted her hips in its flowy yet cinched waist and it had a low curved backless element, showcasing her smooth white back adorned with more freckles. Her hair was in effortless curls that rested on the front of her dress.
She looked like a 'hot sexy seventies back-up singer to some jazz club'- not exactly an idea she meant to execute but she took it as a compliment as Harvey murmured the sentiment while his hands roamed her back, his lips kissed her exposed neck, and his fingers wedged their way in between her thighs.
They were half an hour late to the event, and neither of them complained as they shared twin grins in the back of Ray's car, with Harvey apologizing for the wait to the driver who'd waited fifteen minutes for them.
Harvey had whispered into her ear as they got out that she was going to be a huge distraction to him in that dress, and Donna had whispered back he better not mind.
"Nah, I'm used to not taking my eyes off of you." She snorted at his line and smacked his shoulder.
"Ok Cassanova, let's get inside before Louis tracks us down."
Unlike his eager stance before entering the library room, Harvey and her actually hadn't crossed paths after he checked her coat and purse for her. He'd given her a peck on the cheek, and was then accosted by Alex to help him close the deal with Strattenford.
Two hours later, they still hadn't met up with each other. Donna distracted by Louis as she tried calming him down and apologizing for his behavior to every waitstaff person who got in his way, mingling with the new clients they were trying to poach, dodging old admirers who didn't know she was off the market, and sipping one two many gin fizzes with Katrina in between it all.
She spotted Harvey once or twice either talking to Strattenford, clearly giving him the Specter Special to close the deal the firm desperately needed to put them back on the map.
A few more minutes went by and Donna was standing across the library's ledge taking a reprieve from socializing and letting her eyes roam freely across the party. She realized maybe she had had one too many drinks because she could've sworn she just saw her ex boyfriend Clark standing next to her current one.
Donna blinked a few more times hoping the mirage would go away, but there Clark still was clasping hands with Harvey. Clark with his similar height and dimensions to Harvey, yet higher more accentuated cheekbones, longer curly dark hair, and piercing green eyes complementing white fair skin instead of Harvey's warm chocolate brown eyes, olive toned skin, and wide cheshire smile that she fell in love with over the years.
"Oh shit." Donna murmured to herself. She wondered what they were talking about, and why Harvey just let out a genuine laugh at whatever Clark had said.
"Who's that with Harvey?" Samantha's voice startled Donna.
"Oh no one. Clark Evans from the Evans-Rumant Incorporation team." Samantha frowned slightly at Donna who still wouldn't tear her eyes away from them. She was about to accuse her of doting over her boyfriend when she realized she was equally focused on Clark as well.
"What's so special about this guy that has you gawking for ten minutes at them? What, you used to date him or something." Samantha chuckled as she took a sip of whiskey. Donna wearily connected eyes with her.
"Oh my god."
"What?" Donna asked accusingly and Samantha shook her head at the red-head. "You think they're talking about you?"
"No." Donna hesitated. "Probably not."
"Does he know he's your ex?"
"Nope."
"And does Clark know-"
"Haven't seen him in years so doubt it."
"You're totally picturing both of them in bed aren't you."
"Yep."
Samantha laughed at Donna's honest and drunken state of mind as she giggled along.
"I'm kidding. Sort of."
Donna looks on to see Harvey and Clark laughing in their own bubble, the image reminding her of how Harvey and Mike look when they're in the middle of a movie quote-off.
"God looks like you and Harvey even have similar taste in men." Samantha quipped and Donna rolled her eyes at the comment.
Ever since Sam joined the firm she'd been teasingly referring to Harvey and Donna as twin souls, calling out everytime they use the same joke when they're not around each other, how they point out the same flaws in fellow partner's research, and even quoting the same lines from iconic movies.
Suffice to say, the remarks increased tenfold after they got together.
"Well my type seems to be men like Harvey and Harvey is of course into himself, so this makes sense."
Samantha snorted at Donna's explanation. "He looks pretty taken with Clark." She teased once more and Donna couldn't help but agree.
They continued enthusiastically talking and Donna wondered once more what they could possibly be talking about outside of business. Did they bond over their love of Formula One racing, shitting on Wall Street, italian food, god what if Sam was right and they were talking about her? She imagined Clark innocently bringing her up as an acquaintance, imagined Harvey's surprise, she wondered if then they'd compare stats, be it romantically or sexually because she certainly was right now.
She remembered Clark's love of all things outdoors, remembered his spontaneity that rivaled hers.
She thought of Harvey's fondness for the extreme, and his preference for simplicity and comfort.
She pictured Clark's enthusiasm in bed and how he discovered all her favorite places to be touched, and visualized Harvey's eagerness and ability to map out an entirely new being of arousal out of her till the images blurred and combined the two resulting in mixed emotions in Donna as she felt her entire body about to combust for the feelings she was having.
Donna necked the rest of her gin and tonic before placing her arm in Sam's, dragging them away from the new dynamic duo unfolding before her eyes.
She definitely drank too much tonight.
….
Another hour later, the music finally slowed down and Louis announced everyone should feel free to dance along.
Harvey found Donna and had his hand out towards her smiling, "May I have this dance?"
Donna felt a slight blush coat her cheekbones as she played along. "If you insist."
"Oh, I do."
She reluctantly put her hand in his outstretched palm and bit back an amused smirk at their antics.
They swayed together to the beat of the music, Harvey twirling her in and out before maneuvering her back into his loving embrace, having them placed chest to chest, Donna's head resting slightly on Harvey's shoulder.
"You having fun?" She murmured into his ear.
"Surprisingly, yes. Alex and I bagged Strattenford,"
"Not surprised." Donna pipped in and Harvey chuckled before continuing on. "I also met the guy from Evans-Rumant Incorporation. He's funny."
Donna swallowed down her nerves and tried to keep an uninterested tone in her voice. "Oh yeah?"
"Yeah, he's great. We managed to set up a meeting on the race track. I'm using it as an excuse to bill him while we check out the new engines on the track. Can you believe he's been to almost every Formula One race? Even got a chance to participate in one for charity. Guy knows how to have a good time."
Donna chuckled as she bit her lip. "Sounds like a guy after your own heart huh?"
"Looks like you got some competition Paulsen." he teased right back and Donna let out a laugh
"More like you do."
"What?" Harvey asked bemused at her response. Donna shook her head. "Nothing, I'm just glad you're having fun."
"I am. This dance is pretty ok too. You win the second-most entertaining thing tonight." He kidded and Donna raised a brow, not liking his teasing remark placing her as second best.
She moved her head back so she could get a good look at his face before dropping the bomb, deciding to have some of her own fun. "Well I'm glad you like him so much."
Harvey hummed noncommittal as his eyes roamed around the party, his arm absentmindedly caressing her lower back.
"It's good you got on so well." she nudged the conversation along.
"Why do we have upcoming business with him?"
"Oh no nothing like that," donna feigned an air of nonchalance, "just want to make sure your opinion doesn't change when I tell you that he's my ex boyfriend."
Harvey paused his steps for half a second and Donna had to bite her lip to control her amused expression.
"What?"
"Yeah."
Harvey clenched his jaw as he brought her possessively closer to him and donna had to stop herself from letting an amused grin from spreading on her face- wondering if he even realized his reaction.
"You waited till just now to tell me?"
"I didn't see him before now and after you started gushing over him, I realized I wanted to have some of my own fun tonight." Donna chuckled as she let her arms wrap around Harvey's neck, easily letting herself get even closer to Harvey.
Harvey nodded at her words, a slightly far-away look entering his eyes as they met hers again.
"So… when did you two date?"
"Hmm I don't know. A few years ago now. Maybe around our third or fourth year at Pearson Hardman?"
"And..Why'd you two break up?"
"He was too much to handle." Donna quipped jokingly with as much faux-seriousness in her tone.
Harvey shot her a look as he rolled his eyes at her sass.
Donna chuckled. "I honestly can't remember. I think he was just so busy starting up his firm and I realized we were never going to work with both our busy schedules."
"That the only reason?"
Donna frowned "What I need a better one?"
"No its just-"
"Just what?"
Harvey hesitated for a second, falling back to old habits when Donna's gentle reassurance in the form of a light brush of her fingertips across his neck while they swayed together brought him back to their new reality.
"Would you have been with him still if he hadn't been so busy? Or if you hadn't been?" He blurted out almost nervously.
"We would've probably dated for a little while longer but… no Harvey probably not."
"And why's that?"
Donna shot him a look of you know why.
Harvey grinned first shyly, averting his gaze from her knowing eyes, before a calm washed over his face as his lips quirked even higher on his face, his expression shifting to his usual smugness.
"I think I'm gonna need to hear you say it" He whispered into her ear.
"Ok fine," Donna sighed exasperatedly, "I would've been too much to handle for him."
Harvey let out a laugh at her cockiness.
Harvey brings her even closer to him. She's against his chest and his legs are practically between hers. Their cheek to cheek as she whispers "The truth is, we were inevitable. Had I dated him for months on end, he'd have ended up like the rest of them-"
"I get it, it's not that they couldn't handle you, it's that they couldn't handle me."
"Something like that."
"Well for the record, none of my past girlfriends-"
"Oh is that what we're calling them?"
Harvey nudged her to be quiet as she chuckled and fell back into step with the beat. "None of them would've lasted either. I mean hell half of them called you a complication."
"I resent that."
"Donna, they weren't exactly wrong."
"Not my fault I'm irresistible-"
"Well-"
"Sexy-"
"Sur-"
"Charming as hell"
"That's not-"
"The love of your life?"
Harvey smiles at her words, knowing she was just teasing but she'd hit the nail on the head.
"Exactly."
He said it with amusement and awe slipping his lips and Donna felt herself blush at the sincerity in his brown eyes as they continued saying to the music.
"I love you too."
