The bet

Summary: Harvey engages in a bet with his fellow ADA, but is he willing to gamble on his new secretary?

...

The pub is buzzing with a lively atmosphere. It's a typical Friday night, the loud chatter of colleagues who have come straight from work filling the space With a Scotch in hand, Harvey's gaze wanders around his rowdy co-workers and settles on his new secretary. She's in a different booth, giggling and laughing with women he doesn't know. Presumably, they all have roles at the DA's office as well. If they didn't, he'd probably saunter his way over, smile, and say something charming. But contrary to popular belief, he doesn't like mixing business and pleasure.

Well, with one exception.

He would be willing to bend the rules for the enigmatic redhead who put herself on his desk three weeks ago. So far, Donna Paulsen has impressed him. And not just because she's excellent at her job. She doesn't take any of his shit—pulls him up when he's out of line, and he admires her tenacity. Not a lot of people can change his mind once it's set. But she's smart, witty, and it doesn't hurt that she's incredibly attractive.

He continues to subtly stare across, his lips quirking when she glances up mid-way through a laugh, catching his gaze. Her features soften into a smile, silently berating him for being a shameless flirt. And he likes that, too. How in the short space of three weeks they've picked their own universal language that doesn't require words to communicate.

He generally doesn't care what other people are thinking—evident by the fact he's been listening to the ADA opposite him prattle on about who knows what for at least five minutes. He couldn't care less. He's having more fun getting under his secretary's skin, his smirk conveying just how under her he'd like to be.

Unfortunately, he's pulled from their game when his flip phone vibrates, rattling across the table. Reluctantly shifting his attention, he picks up the Nokia, reading the head of the message text out loud. "Verdict's in."

Kawolski steals the device, folding it over on the ornate wood. "Why don't we make this interesting?"

Harvey leans back, glass in one hand while his other rests against the polished leather. "I'm listening."

The DA's office has been buzzing all day, split on the jury's vote, but Kawolski's been grounded firmly in the opposite camp to Harvey. So, he takes the opportunity to wager a bet. "Guilty. If I'm wrong, you get my house in the Hamptons for a month."

Harvey's intrigued. The guest house is renowned for being lavish. Three pools, right on the beach, and the perfect place to seduce a woman or man of any esteem. Or so Kawolski always boasts. "And if you're right?" he queries, curious to see what the man wants him to bet in return.

Kawolski grins, angling his body toward the booth behind them. "Your secretary. I want her on my desk for two weeks."

Harvey almost chokes on his drink. Fortunately, Kawolski still has his eyes on Donna, and he rubs his chest to alleviate the unexpected burn. "There's no way in hell that's happening." He clears his throat, washing down the tickle with more whiskey.

Not deterred, Kawolski swings back around to smirk at Cameron's golden boy. "Come on, Specter. Don't tell me you're jealous of a little competition."

"Hardly." Harvey refutes the claim he's jealous. He might have had one or two inappropriate fantasies in private. He is human. But his personal feelings aside, Donna isn't property to bargain with. "Donna stays. Find something else."

Kawolski picks up his rum and coke with a deep chuckle. Harvey doesn't care who temps for him, but there must be something memorable about this one if Harvey bothered to learn her name. "I knew it," he goads. "What happened? She knock you back," he asks, knowing how much Harvey likes a challenge.

"You don't know shit, Kawolski. If you did, you'd know she's damn good at her job." He renders the man silent, and satisfied he's defended Donna's honor, he turns over the Nokia. "Last chance."

Kawolski snorts. But he's having too much fun ribbing the man to give in now. "Her phone number, then." Harvey's jaw twitches, and Kawolski seizes the opportunity to provoke him. "Unless asking her out is a problem?"

Harvey grimaces at the insinuation. Donna is single and can date whoever she wants. But that doesn't mean he has to up Kawolski's game.

The man could easily just walk over and start a conversation with Donna, and his gaze strays to where she's now waiting in line at the bar.

After two beats of silence, she glances up, but she must read the hesitation in his expression, because instead of smiling, she tilts her head curiously. He lowers his own with a barely perceptible shake. She's free to make up her own mind, and he acts like he isn't bothered as he accepts the terms of the bet. "It's a deal."

They shake on it, and Harvey slides the Nokia across to Kawolski, starting to relax.

Kawolski reads the verdict out. "Not guilty. Damn." The result takes him by surprise, but what's more ego-bruising is the smug grin on Harvey's face. "Son of a bitch!" he exclaims. "You already knew, didn't you?"

"Maybe." Harvey shrugs. It was actually Donna who'd guessed which way the jury would swing. She'd clued him up on their way over, and she hasn't gotten a verdict wrong yet.

Kawolski snorts a laugh. He was played fair and square. But if Harvey knew the odds were unbeatable, he doesn't understand why the back and forth. "I don't get it. Why care if you knew you were going to win."

"You're right, you don't get it." Harvey finishes his drink, sliding out of the booth, and clapping Kawolski on the shoulder. "But when you figure out women aren't objects, maybe you'll spend less time with your dick in your hand." He parts with the advice, smirking to himself as he makes his way over to the bar.

Donna is paying for a Margarita, and he leans casually beside her. "Hey."

She tucks her purse under her arm, her cheeks warming as she turns around. "Hey, yourself." She takes a salty sip from her cocktail. "That looked like quite the conversation."

He waves at the bartender. "Another Macallan." He orders the drink, then rests his elbow on the beer mat, fixing Donna with his full attention. "It was. How would you like an all-access pass to the Hamptons for four weeks?"

Her eyes widen in surprise. "Kawolski's place?" Harvey nods and she narrows her gaze suspiciously. "What's the catch?"

It should be an invitation up there to join her, but he refrains from being suggestive. "No catch." Technically, she won the bet for him. It only seems fair she should enjoy the victory. "You want it, the place is yours."

"Like I would say no."

She beams a smile, and he grins, pulling out his wallet to pay for the Macallan. Then he tucks the by-fold back into his pocket, picking up the drink when she catches his elbow.

"For the record." She glances over at his booth, lowering her voice. "I would never date Kawolski. The guy's a total sleaze."

His brows pinch together. "How—"

She hooks up an eyebrow, and he shakes his head. He's starting to realize that questioning her is redundant. Although, he is relieved to hear the confession. Not that he was worried. They flirt, they have fun, but there's nothing serious going on between them. Which is why he reconsiders adding a catch to the Hamptons. "You know, we could always—"

She turns before he can finish, her hips sashaying away from him, and when she throws a smirk over her shoulder, he grins—deciding that first thing on Monday he's telling Cameron to make Donna permanent.

Because even without knowing the odds, some things are just worth gambling on.