Prompt from Chrys: "Promise me this is the last time."

A series of last times between Donna and Harvey throughout their relationship.

This was so fun to write.

Xo

M

"Promise me this is the last time you do something for that man Harvey!" She was pleading with him, her voice quivering when she spoke.

She was pissed. No, she was fucking pissed. And she wanted him to know it.

"Donna, I had no choice!"

Harvey was clearly frustrated with his secretary.

She shook her head. "You always have a choice, Harvey. Don't give me that bullshit."

He was making decisions that could cost him his career, and his career was her career.

He yelled, "Goddammit, Donna! My back was against the wall on this."

She kept going—only working for him for a short time now—she had never spoken to a boss like this and if Harvey was going to fire her, she might as well go down swinging.

"The Harvey Specter I know wouldn't let that stop him, he would find another way."

"You're saying I need to break the wall?"

"Yeah, Harvey. That's what I'm saying. Now how are we going to get you out of this?"

Silence settled between them; both calmer now.

Harvey nodded, sitting down behind his desk. His eyes never left hers. Her heart fluttered and she wasn't sure if it was her adrenaline or Harvey. She took a seat across from his desk, an awkward smile on her face.

"Okay Donna. I promise that's the last time I work with him, and I think I have an idea that will get me out of this."

"Good," was all she said.

"Good." Harvey returned.

And when their eyes met this time, an unspoken bond formed and she wasn't sure what she had gotten herself into.

"Donna! My office now."

Harvey shouted from his desk at the red-headed secretary, sitting behind the cubicle outside his office.

Donna stood and rushed into his office, closing the glass door behind her. There was a look of confusion on her face.

"What's this, Donna?" He said. Harvey was holding his corporate credit card statement in the air.

Donna shifted her weight to one leg, her hand on her hip. Her blue dress reminded him of the body he had once touched, kissed, licked and made love to.

He cleared his throat and his mind, shaking the memory of that night out of his head.

"It looks like a bank statement," she said coyly.

Harvey rolled his eyes and placed the sheet of paper on his desk. "Really? You're going to pretend you don't know what this is?"

She shrugged her shoulders. Her cheeks displayed a tiny hue of crimson as she fidgeted with her finger nails.

"I was tending to employee morale." She finally said.

Harvey's face betrayed his disbelief.

"Bullshit," he quipped back.

"No, really, Harvey. I was making sure Rachel was okay. She's our best paralegal, and after what Mike did..." she didn't finish.

They both knew the sacrifice Mike made. They had made their own sacrifices as well.

Harvey's eyes softened. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"Donna, you know I couldn't care less about what you spend our money on. But promise me this is the last time you blindside me. That way, when finance calls, I can account for the activity."

"Shit Harvey, I'm sorry; I usually take those calls."

"it's fine. I played it off, but I think Ed was suspicious when he saw some of the bars that were on the list."

A small corner smile appeared on her face and he couldn't help but smile back.

"I mean, Donna, these totals—how did you both manage to show up to work the next day?"

Donna giggled, and he suddenly became aware of just how much he liked her laugh.

His thoughts wandered: Did she pick up any men with that laugh?

He had no right to be jealous, but he could feel the unwarranted emotion bubble up inside him.

Trying to act unassuming, he probed a little more.

"Did you (he cleared his throat) have fun?" He asked as he sat down behind his desk.

"Yes. We did, actually. And I think it helped Rachel keep her mind off Mike. So, I'm thinking we will be doing this on a regular basis until I feel she has fully recovered."

Harvey slowly nodded.

"Hmm, so what is it that you do when you're out together?" He was trying to act nonchalant but he knew he was doing a terrible job at it.

"I'm sorry, Harvey. I can't break girl code, but if you must know, we are thoroughly enjoying every minute of our time."

She turned on her cream three inch heels to leave, but not before delivering him a cheeky wink.

Harvey watched her hips sway as she left his office and he was keenly aware that his feelings for his secretary had become deeper than he had realized.

Time and time again, she opened her door to him. And time and time again, she watched him leave. It was always the same. He'd need her and she needed him to need her.

This time, she'd put a stop to it. But deep down, she wasn't sure it was exactly what she wanted.

She loved him and he didn't love her back. It wasn't that simple, of course, but it's what she told herself so she could justify her decision. There was no other way. She needed to leave him, resign her position and move on.

Protect her peace.

With a slight hesitation in her voice, she told him, "Promise me this is the last time you come over, Harvey." He was half-way out of her apartment when she let him know.

He turned around, his sad and worn-out eyes fixed on her, and everything in her wanted to run into his arms. But she stayed strong. She no longer wanted Harvey Specter to take up residency in her heart.

"Is that what you want?" He asked her. His voice was low and it vibrated off her skin. She hated how much he affected her. He always had.

Donna averted his gaze. She had a habit of getting lost in his eyes and she needed her resolve.

No "Yes."

"Okay Donna."

That was it. No argument or fight. He sighed and then slowly walked out of her apartment, closing the door behind him.

She cried herself to sleep that night and the next morning she debated whether to even go to work. Her strong work ethic won out in the end.

She had every intention of handing him her letter of resignation. But when she made it to her office, a small Tiffany blue box with a white ribbon was on her desk.

A note attached:

I can't be me without you. I'm sorry. -H

She sat down at her desk and sighed her resolve and hurt away.

She never ended up sending in her resignation letter and one month later, he was knocking on her door again.

She let him in.

"Promise me, Donna."

"Promise you what?"

"Promise me this is the last time we have to go to one of these goddamn banquets."

Harvey said, adjusting his bow tie in the back seat of the limo.

"I can't promise you that, Harvey, and you know it. And thank you for being my date." She said it shyly. They had arrived at a new spot in their relationship.

One that showed promise and a future (and lots of flirting).

"Well, it was worth a try. If you can't promise me, we won't attend another one of these shitty things ever again. Then you can at least give me an incentive."

He said with a big Harvey-specter grin. Donna giggled.

"Oh, I'll give you an incentive, alright. How about I stay your COO."

She had her compact mirror out, checking her make-up.

"Hmm."

She closed her compact. "Okay, I'll bite. What is it?"

Well, what if I don't want you to be my COO anymore?"

He shifted his body to face her and she did the same.

"What are you saying?"

Harvey placed her hand in his and with love and adoration in his eyes, he spoke, filling the small space with his declaration.

"I'm saying—I've known since the first day I met you that I love you. And I'd like to start by spending the rest of the night showing you just how much."

Donna smiled.

"Just tonight?" She teased, placing her hand on his cheek.

"I said start tonight; there will be plenty more to come."

"Harvey."

"Yes."

"Shut up and kiss me."

"With pleasure."

"Promise me this is the last time, Donna," Harvey said playfully.

Donna was perched above him, her naked body glistening from sweat. Her hands were still gripping the headboard for support.

Out of breath, "Shit, Harvey. That was even better the second time."

He groaned at the friction her warm center caused as she dismounted his naked body. She collapsed on the bed beside him.

Teasing him back, "We really should try and space our love-making out, you know."

He rolled over on his side to face her. "Donna, we waited twelve and a half years; I think we've had enough space. Don't you?"

She giggled.

"Good point, Specter."

He smiled into the moonlit bedroom, "You know, we could call in sick tomorrow."

Donna turned her head, "You have never called in sick."

"I've never had a good reason too."

"Oh, and this is?"

"Not this. You. You are the only reason and I love you."

A smile and a I love you too was all he needed before Harvey pulled her into his arms and bathed her with adoring kisses, readying himself for round three.