Prompt #17 by donnapaulsen19 "It's Rachel and Mike's wedding, and they're dancing the night away, when the music turns into a heated tango! Everyone is watching them and feeling the tension... Even Donna feels his body reaction but at the end of the dance she wishes him a good night and doesn't turn back. The next month they have drinks and flirt every other day and the sexual tension gets harder and harder to resist. But every night Donna leaves a stunned Harvey behind. One night (might be a special occasion or not) he confronts her and they're at each other's throats... screaming, blaming and finally a sexy happy ending"


Their hands were touching, and so were any other parts of their bodies. For the last two hours, they'd swayed to the music, only stopping when their feet needed some rest or their throats were dry. Probably due to their dancing exertions, most likely because, as much as they tried to control their minds not to go down the rabbit hole and resist the pull, their bodies seemed to have a different agenda.

Every reaction their bodies experienced throughout the night screamed danger, but they didn't listen. They couldn't. Not when Donna's fingers grazed softly at the nape of his neck, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their aftermath. Certainly not when Harvey's possessive arms pulled her a little bit closer every time he caught other men staring at her with wanting eyes.

The dance floor became a place where the outside world ceased to exist. Immersed as they were in the moment, they didn't realize they kept slow dancing in the middle of an upbeat song. Their movements were fluid, a choreography born from years of familiarity and an untamed passion that simmered beneath the surface for the past twelve years, and that they both thought lost in the aftermath of their recent kiss.

"Have I tired you yet?" Harvey smirked, his hands navigating the small of her back.

"You should know I don't tire easily," Donna replied, matching his facial expression as soon as she heard him swallow and mutter a low 'Oh, I remember.'

She was adamant they moved past the last few weeks' awkwardness and, in order to do that, she decided the only way to succeed was to stop dwelling on what happened and finally get rid of the remanent anger and mortification she still felt every time she left her brain think about how he handled the whole Paula situation. Or at least she'd try.

Besides, there was no point in keeping that behavior in hope he would notice. Harvey seemed completely oblivious to the fact that she wasn't her usual self around him anymore, never lingering in the office after hours in the hope to extend her time with him and not engaging in their usual banter like she used to.

He also seemed to be distracted a lot. More than once, Donna caught him lost in thoughts at the end of the day with a scotch in his hands or with his gaze fixated on her during meetings. It was weird and very unlike him, and she was afraid to read too much into it. So, she decided to take what she'd get with no expectations and focus on enjoying their friends' big night and nothing else.

As the music played on, and they finally caught up with the sensual rhythm of a tango, Harvey's eyes met Donna's with an intensity that left her flustered, while his hands firmly rested on the small of her back, leading her in a way that reminded her of another time he handled her body with the same passion. So much for not reading into it.

The room shrunk on them, and as Donna's breath caught in her throat, Harvey took the opportunity to lean into her some more, unable to hold back his thoughts.

"You look beautiful, Donna."

Taken aback by the compliment, she blushed, momentarily losing her ground in the intensity of his gaze. But then her mind quickly caught up with her, projecting the last few weeks in front of her eyes, and that's when she found her stance again. The compliment, as innocent as it looked, stirred all the unresolved turmoil that made her defenses shoot up again.

"I know I do. But it doesn't mean anything, does it?" Donna replied, looking away. Her leg slid smoothly between Harvey's, a move that made his head buzz, temporarily distracting him. However, he refocused on the conversation, his brows furrowed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked, his eyes searching hers for answers, never missing a beat of the increasing tempo of the dance.

"Nothing, Harvey. It means nothing." She chastised herself for letting it slip. It was pointless.

"No, Donna. It clearly does, and I'd like to know what."

Caught in the whirlwind of the steps, Donna sighed and responded with a raw honesty that surprised them both. "It means that, as always, you say things you either don't mean or take back. And let me tell you, it's not the most flattering feeling to hear you say things like that knowing that you'll never really want me."

"I – are you fucking kidding me?" Harvey's incredulous response was accompanied by a hint of frustration. The dance, which had started as a celebration and as a way to support each other through the inevitable changes that their friends' departure would bring, was now evolving into a confrontation of emotions that none of them had intended on surfacing. Tonight and here, of all places.

Harvey took a moment, his eyes locked with Donna's, as if trying to decipher the layers of her statement. "Donna, you are the one who made the rules here. What the hell was I supposed to do?"

"I think the fact that I kissed you should have given you a hint about my intentions." Donna said drily, meeting his gaze with unwavering determination.

"A kiss, after which you said you didn't feel anything. If I recall correctly, something like 'for the record, neither did I' came out of your mouth," he said, stopping the dance altogether and air quoting his words.

"You're damn right I did. Consider yourself lucky I didn't pack up my stuff and leave the country out of mortification and embarrassment. You made me promise to never do it again, as if it was the worst thing in the world. You're a smart guy, Harvey. I'm sure you can figure out why I said what I said." Her tone was laced with vulnerability, and she decided that was the right moment to leave the party and put a stop to the conversation. "Goodnight, Harvey."

He stood still, in the middle of the dance floor for a few seconds, just in time to see her retreating figure head for the toilets. Fueled by determination and regret, he followed Donna and caught up with her just as she was about to go in.

His hand grasped her arm gently but firmly, looking at her with big, sad eyes. "I thought we moved past it."

Donna, turning her face to him, her expression guarded, responded with a mix of frustration and lingering hurt. "Well, clearly I didn't. It's not that we ever really discussed it either." She sighed, continuing. "You cut me out without as much as a second thought."

"Donna, I'd never be able to cut you off even if I wanted to. Look at us. I spent the whole night of our friend's wedding dancing just to be around you." Harvey said, getting closer to her.

"I- I don't know what that means." Donna stuttered.

"It means that I'm sorry for the way I treated you lately. I didn't know how to handle it, being with Paula and having to keep a secret, and I wasn't ready for the way our kiss made me feel, for all the feelings it stirred. But I did some soul searching lately, and I want to make it right by you. I've been kidding myself for years when, in fact, the only person I wanted was always right in front of my face."

Donna looked at him, trying to study his facial expression and laughed sarcastically. There was no way she would fall into this trap just to hear him take it back in two days' time.

"You don't know what you're talking about, Harvey. But I'll tell you what you'll do now. You'll go home, school that self-pitying glass of whisky that you already planned on drinking after Mike told you he's leaving, and then you'll try and find a way to cope with the fact that your friend won't be here anymore that doesn't involve screwing with my brain. Because I'm telling you, this time I'm not sure we will get past it."

And with that, she stormed out of the venue, leaving a stunned Harvey behind.

The following weeks went awkwardly, to say the least. Donna actively tried to avoid Harvey in hope not to relieve the burning shame she felt at the wedding. She knew she was being unfair, shutting him out like this, but as soon as she heard Harvey confess his feelings to her, she panicked and told herself he only did it as a way to cope with Mike's departure. Because the alternative was to believe he genuinely had feelings for her, and she didn't know she could get back on her feet if he were to tell her it didn't mean anything when it clearly did.

And so, she skillfully dodged all his attempts at casual conversation and expertly avoided any situation that might have led to spending time alone with him.

Harvey, on the other hand, was a man on a mission. After the initial shock of being stood up two minutes after having poured his heart out to her for the very first time, he was more determined than ever to show Donna that his feelings were real. He understood why she might have thought they weren't; his track record was surely not stellar, and it wasn't the first time he made her suffer for his inability to be true to himself.

However, this time was different. It was not just about wanting her, like he stupidly told her. He was madly in love with her, so much so that he was physically in pain whenever she was not near, and he kept dreaming about doing mundane things with her, waking up together, hugging her, making her coffee, making space for her in his drawer; and the fact that sex came lower on the list - even though still extremely high - gave him an indication of how crazy he was about her. Maybe he should have led his speech with this at the wedding.

Nonetheless, he decided to take every breathing moment as an opportunity to show her what he wanted. He always believed actions spoke louder than words, and actions were exactly what he wanted to give her. He would court her, show her he only had eyes for her, make her feel wanted because what did she mean he didn't want her, when wanting her was all he did for twelve years? Hell, he would even resort to some grand gesture if he had to, but he needed her to understand he was a changed man.

He started with flowers. Peonies, her favorites. He put them on her desk with a note. To brighten your day. Because that's what you always do to me. H.

Donna smiled to herself and shook her head affectionately, sending him a message to acknowledge his gesture. After all, she was nothing but polite. And again, it didn't mean anything, she thought. I received your flowers. They're beautiful, Thank you, Harvey. D.

The second time, he knew she had an early meeting that would last at least a couple of hours and that she didn't have time to have breakfast, knowing that Donna would always prioritize sleep over anything else. Half an hour before the end of her meeting, he sneaked out of the office and stopped at Dominique Ansel's bakery for a coffee and their famous pain au chocolat. At 10 am sharp, he left both coffee and pastry on her desk with another of his post-it notes. Because I'm sure you didn't have time to eat yet and I know how much you love this bakery. And because I always listen to you and remember everything you say.

As he approached the door to leave her office, Donna appeared in front of him and looked around with a confused look on her face.

"Harvey, what are you doing here?" she asked.

Trying to play it cool, he lied, "Oh, nothing. I had a deposition uptown and stopped to get you coffee and a pastry from that French bakery you love so much. I thought you didn't have time to have breakfast with the meeting you had."

"That was really thoughtful of you. I didn't have time indeed. Thank you," she said, busying herself with some papers her secretary placed on her desk.

Harvey looked at her focused face and understood she was cutting him off. He didn't want to let go yet, but it was difficult when she didn't even give him a small opening. He wanted to say so many things to her; he wanted to ask her out on a date, listen to her talk about some trivial story from her college years, lose himself in the hazel of her eyes, and shower her with attention, and he wanted to…

"I'm sorry, Harvey. I don't want to be rude, but I really have a shitload of work to finish today. So, unless you have something else you want to discuss, I'd really need to go back to these papers. Thanks again for the coffee and pastry."

"Of course. I'll leave you to it," Harvey said, an audible sadness in his voice.

Once out of sight, Donna took the note she saw attached to the pastry bag and read it carefully before placing it inside her top drawer with a satisfied smile. She had to admit he was trying, but she decided to lock the thought away together with that post-it. At least for the time being.

For the following week, Harvey continued his efforts to break down Donna's walls, but she persisted in keeping her distance.

Until one day, Donna overheard Louis asking for Harvey's help to get off in a cup, and an absurd conversation that ensued about getting turned on by tomatoes. Unable to contain her curiosity and amusement any longer, she entered Harvey's office.

"You wanna tell me what that was all about?" she smirked, walking in his direction as soon as Louis left.

Smirking in return, Harvey replied, "No, because I'm guessing you listened to the entire conversation, which means you know what it's about."

"In that case, what I really wanna know is - is it true about the tomatoes?"

"I think we both know it's not, just like we both know it's really strawberries and whipped cream." He watched Donna shoot an eyebrow to the sky. "What? Too soon?"

"No, but this is an office and someone could overhear and misunderstand that it was thirteen years ago."

"Really? Feels more like twelve and a half to me."

"You're an idiot," Donna affectionately said.

"Go out with me," Harvey blurted, completely out of the blue. "I have so many things I want to tell you and I feel like you've been avoiding me lately. I can't stand how I don't seem to get through to you in any way. Please? Would you go out with me?"

"What are you doing, Harvey?" Donna asked, concerned.

Harvey leaned forward, his playful demeanor shifting to a more earnest expression. "Did I lose my touch so much you don't even understand anymore when I try to flirt with you?"

Donna, maintaining a serious tone, replied, "I know when you're flirting. I want to know what we are doing here. I thought I made it clear that I don't want you to say things you most likely won't follow through with."

Harvey paused, his eyes searching hers for a moment. "And I thought I made it clear that I want to be with you," he whispered closer to her ear. "And you wanna know what else I think? I think you want to be with me just as much as I do, but you're scared."

Donna folded her arms defensively and looked away. He pushed on. "You know, I'm not gonna let you push me away. Whatever you say, I'm not leaving. In fact, I'm never leaving ever again. And you can lash out at me, push me away or hit me, if that makes you feel better, but you'll always find me here waiting for you at the end of the day."

He faltered for just a second as Donna raised her eyebrow with a mix of amusement and annoyance. "In a less creepy-stalker way than what it might sound. But I'm not giving up on us, Donna, I've done it for too long and look where it got us."

She sighed. "You're serious, aren't you?" she asked, a hint of disbelief coloring her words.

"As a heart attack." Harvey confirmed, nodding his head vigorously, conveying a sincerity she hadn't seen in a long time. The weight of his words hung in the air, and for the first time since beginning his quest toward gaining her trust, he felt a sense of uncertainty. The ball was now in Donna's court, and he waited for her response.

She took a step back, creating a little distance between them as she processed the information. "Harvey, I need time," she admitted, her voice soft yet firm.

Donna stepped out of Harvey's office, her mind swirling with conflicting emotions. One thing she knew was that she needed to put some physical distance between them because he smelled so good, and the way he looked at her made her weak in the knees. Of course, his words were everything she wanted to hear from him since the very first time she got to have him those many years ago, and for as long as she knew Harvey, she never saw him lay his emotions bare with such vulnerability, but she couldn't shake the feeling that things changed a bit too suddenly.

She wondered if she should face him once and for all, corner him when he wasn't expecting it and ask him all the questions she had in mind and not let him go until satisfied with the answers. But what was really clear was that she was wrong; she didn't need time. She needed answers. And answers she was going to get.

By the time Donna arrived home and got her bearings, it was 10 pm. She put back on a pair of jeans, boots, and took the first cab to Harvey's place. She was now pacing back and forth in front of his condo's door for the last five minutes, rehearsing her speech, when the door suddenly flung open.

Caught like a deer in headlights, Donna said, "How did you know I was here?"

"My phone alerted me about movements outside my door, so I opened the app and I caught you talking to yourself. You seemed pretty engrossed in it, so I didn't want to disturb you until you were finished," Harvey smirked, amused. "Come on in."

"Since when do you have a camera outside your door?" a stunned Donna asked, stopping in the foyer.

"Since the management company sent an email to all residents saying there has been an increase in thefts," he shrugged. "You wanna tell me what you're doing here? I wasn't expecting to see you so soon, but I'm happy you're here."

"I told you I needed time, but that's not what I really need. I need to know what changed. I need to know how the hell did we move from you freaking out and treating me like shit to you buying me flowers and telling me all the things you said."

Harvey's eyes softened as he ushered her into his living room. "Do you want anything to drink?"

"Do I need it?"

"Maybe I do," he smiled sheepishly, handing her a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, her favorite.

Once they were both settled with drinks, Harvey sat down on the couch beside her. He sighed, his gaze falling to the floor before meeting hers with an earnest intensity.

"You know, it just didn't hit me out of the blue, the fact that we should be together. After that night we shared too many years ago, I've never really been able to get over you. Sure, I lived my life, you lived yours, but you know better than I do that I've always had trouble accepting all those assholes that came after me." Donna rolled her eyes.

He sipped his scotch before continuing. "You've asked me to forget about it and move on as if nothing happened. And then, fast forward to twelve years later, you kissed me, and the world came crashing down at me. I realized that I could fool myself forever in trying to pursue other relationships, but I would have lied to them and myself. I've never felt for anyone what I feel when I'm with you, Donna. And I would understand if it's not the same for you, but I need you to believe that what I say is true."

Donna took a sip of her wine, her eyes never leaving his. "Since when did you get this chatty about your feelings?"

"Since it hit me I could lose you for good. I know I've been awful for a long time; I just hope it's not too late."

"Harvey, you might change your mind," Donna frowned, crossing her arms in defense. "It happened before."

Harvey stood up, frustration visible in the way his fists clenched. "Damn it, Donna. I'm not gonna change my mind because I'm in love with you. And trust me, it hasn't gone away in all the years I've known you; it certainly won't go away now. But you need to help me out a little here, because you haven't said a word about how you feel, and I'm getting crazy thinking that maybe –"

Her lips were on his in a second, closing the distance between them in a kiss that stole both their breaths. Her fingers slid into his hair, keeping his head in place just like she did when she kissed him in his office months ago. It dawned on her that this was the second time she blindsided him with a kiss in a short time, and she pulled back with panic in her eyes. She searched Harvey's face for any sign of regret or confusion, but all she found was love and desire. His eyes locked onto hers with a fierce intensity, and before Donna could process what just happened, Harvey's hands gently cupped her face, pulling her back in.

"Don't you dare run away," he whispered against her lips, before sealing the words with another kiss.

They kept kissing and getting reacquainted with each other, their tongues meeting with so much familiarity and intimacy that one could think they've been doing it their entire life.

Breaking the kiss, Donna's eyes widened in surprise. "Did you just say you're in love with me?"

"I did, didn't I?" he said, bashfully.

A mixture of relief and joy washed over Donna, and she couldn't hold back the smile that played on her lips. "Well, it seems I'm in love with you too, Specter."

She pulled away and backtracked in the direction of his bedroom, getting rid of one piece of clothing at a time. "And I think it's time I give you some pointers on how exactly I love you."

As he sheathed himself inside her glistening folds later that night, they both understood no one could ever stand a chance against what they had. And when Donna came around him, bringing Harvey across the precipice with her, that's when it finally hit them. There would never be anyone else.