After that kiss, Harvey and Donna hadn't talked about it again, the young man returned to Harvard to resume his classes while the teenager returned to high school to continue her life. If neither of them mentioned what happened that night — especially not to Marcus — that didn't stop them from thinking about it all the time. One morning, as the young man had just woken up in his dorm after a restless night thinking about a certain redhead, he heard his roommate come into the room before giving him a high five and starting a conversation with him.
«Hey, bro, you're listening to me?»
«What?»
«What is wrong with you?»snorted Mike.
«What do you mean?»
«I don't know, you've been somewhere else for a few days»
«Oh, I didn't realize»
«What's going on in your head?»
«I have to go back to Hartford»
«And since when's it a problem?»
«It's not a problem, it's just— »
«Just what?»
«Nothing. Anyway, I have to go. I have soccer practice in twenty minutes»
«Hey, you can't just say that and leave»
«Bye Mike»
«Asshole»chuckled the blonde boy.
As Harvey got out of bed to go to the bathroom, wash himself, and get dressed quickly, he left the room to run to the football field, thinking back to Mike's words. Harvey had met his roommate when he arrived in his room on the first day, both of them taking the same law class, while they had become very close from the start. After almost three years of sharing a room, they could now see if they were good or not, and right now, Mike was right, Harvey was somewhere else. He hadn't been home or exchanged any messages with Donna for weeks, and while he had planned to come home for his father's birthday, he knew that Gordon always invited Donna and that he was going to be confronted by the girl who occupied his head days and nights. It was nonsense, since at the party organized by his brother where he had spent an intense moment with her, he had kissed others and even slept with Scottie once or twice, with whom he shared the bed from time to time, but nothing worked, he could not get her out of his head. He did not know if it obsessed him because she was his little brother's best friend and he had grown up with her or if this kiss was simply different from all the others. Anyway, he took advantage of his football training to take his mind off things while Donna was still lost in her thoughts.
«Red?»
«What?»
«Are you listening to me?»
«Yeah, sorry. What were you saying?»
«I was asking you to start setting the table, we still have to get the cake before Harvey gets here»
«Yeah, sure»
Donna had no idea how to react to the arrival of the older Specter. It had been a few weeks since it had happened, and she couldn't stop thinking about it. The Monday after the party, when Mark had approached her with a smile at school, much more sober than two days before, she had simply smiled back before finding a quick excuse and leaving, unable to start anything with him while she had passionately kissed another boy a few hours before. After setting the table, Marcus and Donna left the Specter house to go get the cake, chatting about everything and nothing on the way until the redhead swallowed hard when she saw the future lawyer's car parked in front of the house. Barely inside, she heard Marcus shout.
«Hey loser, where are you?»
«Kitchen»
«Harvey, hey»
«Hey Marcus — Donna»
«Hello Harv»
As she smiled at him, the young man high-fived his little brother, still looking at Donna before winking at her, making her blush. For about twenty minutes, the three of them chatted about everything and nothing while sharing a packet of crisps, the redhead and the future lawyer sharing knowing smiles while Marcus was completely unaware of the exchanges between the two. As the younger brother's phone rang and the teen walked away, leaving the other two alone, Harvey murmured first.
«Hey»
«Hey»
«You're not saying much today»
«Well, I'm listening to what a football prodigy you were»
«Oh, Paulsen, why do I feel like you're making fun of me? Wait until you see me»
«It will never happen»
«Why not?»
«Yale, remember?»
«Maybe Harvard»smirked Harvey.
«No way, Specter»
«Hey, what are you two talking about?»asked Marcus.
«Well, Donna is sure she's going to end up at Yale, but maybe she'll join me at Harvard»
«Yeah, well, I don't think so. But did she tell you she was going to visit Yale tomorrow morning?»
«Really?»
«Yep, they're doing a campus tour for potential new students»
«Are you going with your parents?»
«No, by myself. My dad is away for the weekend and my mom has to work. I'll take the train there»
«You want me to drop you off at the station?»asked Harvey with a smirk.
«Well, if you don't mind»
«You know I don't. I told you, I am at your complete disposal, you just have to ask»
Hearing those words, Donna shivered at his dark look of lust while the redhead rolled her eyes at his childish behavior. At the same time, the door slammed and the three young people greeted Gordon, all settling around the table to enjoy a plate of lasagna cooked by Marcus and Donna earlier. Throughout the meal, they chatted about everything and nothing until the redhead went home and the Specters continued their evenings as the three of them. The next day, as she had just finished getting ready, she heard her mother talking to someone downstairs and was surprised to see Harvey in her living room.
«Hey»
«Donna, hey. Are you ready to go?»
«Yeah»
«Let's go, then»
As he greeted Laurel, Donna took a few seconds to admire him and couldn't help but bite her lip. He was wearing dark blue loose pants with a light gray Ralph Lauren loose sweater, a white t-shirt sticking out under, and a pair of sneakers on his feet as he was running his hand through his mid-length dirty blonde hair. A few minutes later, both of them were in the car chatting about everything and nothing, finding their usual complicity like before. As they were driving, Donna was surprised not to see Harvey stop in front of the station as he continued on his way.
«Harv, you missed Union Station»
«You didn't really think I was going to let you do the campus tour alone»
«You don't have to»
«I'm good. Plus, I've never been to Yale, it's now or never»
«Harvey, I'm serious»
«And I'm serious too. Come on, we're there in less than an hour»
«Thanks, Harv»
For a few more minutes, they chatted about this and that until Harvey turned to look at her with a tender gaze.
«I didn't ask you»
«What?»
«About Mark»
«Well, there's not much to say»
«What? Nothing?»
«Nope, nothing»
«But I saw you kissing on the terrace during the party»
«Well, that's it»
«Why?»
«I don't know»
«Oh, I do»
«What?»chuckled Donna.
«He wasn't as good a kisser as me, am I right?»
As they both laughed, Donna was rolling her eyes before whispering.
«You're right. What a man, you should be a detective»
As he grabbed the redhead's hand, the other still resting on the steering wheel, he quickly brought it closer to his mouth before whispering against her skin.
«So if you're not with Mark, I can do that?»
As he placed a kiss on her hand, both of them smirked before he started again, but this time on her wrist. Seeing that she still didn't react, he continued to travel her skin, kissing her forearm, then the hollow of her elbow before taking advantage of the red light to gently pull on her arm, their faces finding themselves a few inches from each other. Without waiting, he captured her lips between his to kiss her tenderly until the redhead pulled away when the light turned green.
«Harvey»
«What?»
«You can't do that»chuckled the redhead.
«Why not? You're not with Mark»smirked the young man.
«And you and I are not together either»
« So what? I told you, I'm not looking for anything, and let's not kid ourselves, our kisses are hot »
«Seriously?»snorted Donna.
«Come on, kiss me»
Without giving her time to answer, he took advantage of driving in a straight line to grab the redhead's jaw and kiss her dirtily — tongue and teeth — as both of them laughed. As weird as it looked, kissing each other felt so natural. For Harvey, it was kind of a habit, kissing random girls at parties when he was tipsy or even Scottie when they occasionally slept together, but this, being completely sober and just kissing without going any further, was new to him. For Donna, from the beginning, she always had the idea that you kiss a boy when you were in a relationship, but while Harvey kept kissing her at every red light or when they were stuck in traffic, without them being together, she couldn't help but find it normal. A hour later, as they were almost there, Harvey started talking again.
«Hey, next week is your birthday»
«I know»
«Eighteen»
«Huge, right?»chuckled Donna.
«So old»snorted Harvey.
«Shut up, you're twenty-one»
«I just turned twenty-one, we're barely three years apart, but alright, I stop. Anyway, what are you planning to do?»
The rest of the drive, they talked about the party she had planned for her birthday as they pulled into the large parking lot of the university. Once out of the car, Donna led them to the meeting point, where a crowd of teenagers was already waiting for the tour to begin. As they chatted, a small woman interrupted them with a high-pitched voice.
«Alright, everyone, please listen to me. Well, first, good morning to every futur student and their parents, and welcome to this campus tour. Let me explain what we're going to see today. Good?»
As she explained a bit about the different things they were going to see, the woman started by going around the students to find out what they wanted to follow for their course before turning to Donna.
«What about you, miss?»
«Drama school»
«Interesting. And you, gentleman?»
«Oh no, I'm at Harvard Law School, but I'm accompanying my girl»
As he dropped a kiss in her neck, Donna tensed as she gave the woman a fake smile, waiting for her to turn around to feel Harvey sink his teeth into her neck gently as she poked him in the ribs, both of them laughing as they followed the guide. At the end of the day, once the tour was over, they got back in the car as they debriefed everything they had seen today.
«So, did you like what you saw today?»
«That looks so cool, and have you seen their theater? Insane»
«Yeah, well, I'll come see you there, then»
«I don't know if I'm going to act»
«What? But Donna, you've been talking about it for years»
«I know, and I love it, but making a living from theater is almost mission impossible. I don't know if I have the courage to spend my life waiting for the role that will change everything»
«But what are you going to do then?»
«I have to say that the Dramaturgy and Dramatic Criticism department attracted me»
«Well, I'm not going to lie, I don't even know what it is»chuckled Harvey.
«With that, you can do a lot of things, like work in theaters as dramaturgs, artistic producers, and literary managers. Or I can work in theater publishing as a critic and editor as well as a teacher»
«So more opportunities than acting»
«Exactly»
All the way there, they discussed this program, weighing the pros and cons until Harvey continued the conversation.
«Hey, are you still going to come and tour the campus at Harvard?»
«I don't know, I'm pinning all my hopes on Yale, and I really hope to get in there, but maybe as a second choice, yeah, why not»
«And when do you want to do that?»
«What? Are you going to tour with me?»
«Even better, I'll give you a private tour. I'll even show you my dorm»smirked Harvey.
«I can't believe it»snorted Donna as she replied to a message from Marcus at the same time.
Barely two blocks from her house, she was already packing her things while Harvey talked.
«Are your parents home?»
«No, why?»
«Do you want to come eat at our place?»
«It's fine, I'll cook something for me and then watch a movie in bed»
«You sure?»
«Yeah, yeah»
«By the way, I wasn't with you today, but at some friend»
«What?»
«Come on, I have a certain reputation to maintain»chuckled Harvey.
«Oh, I'm so sorry, Mr. Popular»giggled Donna.
«I like that better»
«Alright, we've arrived. Thank you very much for today, Harvey»
«You're welcome»
«See you next time»
«Yeah, wait— »
As he took a quick glance around him under Donna's surprised eye, the redhead didn't expect at all that he would grab her chin to kiss her once again for a few seconds. As soon as their lips parted, she sighed with a smile while looking at him.
«Harv»
«What?»
«You have to stop»
«Oh, come on»
«This was the last time»
«The penultimate time»
«What —»
Without waiting, he kissed her again tenderly as she laughed against his lips and pushed him away, leaving the car, hearing him scream behind her as soon as she was on the sidewalk.
«Hey, I'll keep you in touch at Harvard. See you, baby»
God, this boy was going to drive her crazy. As she headed home, she took advantage of being alone to release the breath she didn't know she was holding. Today was insane, she had visited Yale, alright, but most importantly, she had spent her day kissing Harvey like it was the most normal thing in the world and not even awkward, but god, every time he approached her, she felt her heart race and the butterflies in her stomach go crazy. Outside, as he had just seen the door slam, Harvey let his head fall back on the steering wheel with a sigh. What was wrong with him? It was as if his head was no longer in control, as soon as he laid eyes on her, it was as if instinctively, his lips had to kiss hers, like an automatism. If the situation was already particular enough, seeing Donna respond with the same enthusiasm as him, he wanted to stop even less, completely intoxicated by her. And even then, it wasn't just kissing, today he pretended he was her boyfriend, had spent the whole trip with their fingers intertwined, putting his hand on her hip or the small of her back to make her move, and the worst, had bitten her neck as a joke — even if deep down, he knew that it wasn't for that but only because he wanted to taste the texture of her skin. As he was lost in thought, his head still on the steering wheel, he was interrupted by his phone ringing.
«Hello?»
«Hey, brother. Are you eating with us tonight?»
«Yeah, yeah, I'll be there in five minutes»
«Where are you?»
«Upper Albany»lied Harvey.
«What the hell are you doing there?»
«I went to see some friends at Hartford University, I'm on my way»
«Of course, well, see you, brother»
«See you, Marcus»
As soon as he hung up, he left the Barry Square neighborhood where Donna lived to go home and lie about what he had done today, only mentioning that he had dropped the redhead off at the train station before going to see friends, forgetting to omit that he had spent hours touring Yale and kissing her. The evening passed, and as Sunday arrived, Harvey said goodbye to his father and brother in the morning, justifying going back earlier to Harvard because he had a ton of work before sending a message to the redhead.
You better be ready in ten minutes, I'm coming
On her side, while she was in her room reading a book, she gasped when she saw Harvey's message. No way, she was absolutely not ready, and she only had ten minutes before he got there? She was never going to make it. In less than a second, she had left her bed, changed her loungewear to normal clothes before quickly putting on her makeup and going downstairs when she saw Harvey's message telling her that he was already outside. As soon as the redhead was out, he swallowed hard when he saw her arrive. Harvey didn't have a particular style when it came to girls, but there, he had just put the redhead as number one. Despite the fact that she was simply wearing light straight jeans, a tight white short-sleeved t-shirt, and a pair of sneakers while her red hair floated in the wind, she was suddenly the most beautiful girl in the world. Barely seated, he leaned down to kiss her while she didn't move, looking at him with a mocking look before whispering.
«I thought yesterday was the last time?»
«What? What are you talking about?»
«I'm talking about now»
«I'm saying hello»
«Harvey»
Without waiting, he gently placed his mouth on hers before murmuring against her lips with an arrogant smirk.
«Hello»
«Hello to you too»
«You're ready?»
«Yup, let's go to Harvard»
For almost an hour and a half, the two of them drove to the campus, where Harvey parked in the huge parking lot and invited Donna to get out and follow him. If the few feet to the campus were done in good humor and flirting as usual, the moment they arrived in front of a series of buildings all named after the college, Donna was surprised to see him let go of her hand and change his behavior. As disturbing as it could be, she said nothing and followed him through the campus, where Harvey hastened to show her all the places that could interest her: Harvard College, the Loeb's drama center, the memorial hall, the different libraries, and public places before pointing at a building with his finger while laughing.
«Do you see over there?»
«Yeah»
«That's the Malkin Athletic Center, that's where I train my sexy body»
«I can't believe you just said that»giggled Donna.
«And over there, that's the Mignone Field. Maybe one day I'll see you cheering for me in the stands»
«It won't happen, Harv»
«Why not?»
«Yale, remember?»smiled Donna.
«You never know»winked Harvey.
«Anyway, you didn't show me your school»
«What?»
«Yeah, or maybe you lied to us, and you're not a student at Harvard at all»
«No, no, I mean, Harvard Law School is over there, but I didn't think you'd be interested»
«Why not? You always speak so highly of it»
«Alright, let's go then»
For about ten more minutes, they chatted about everything and nothing, laughing together until they heard a female voice behind them.
«You weren't in Hartford?»
As soon as she turned around, Donna saw Harvey stiffen as soon as he saw the brunette in front of them.
«Scottie, hey»
The redhead had never seen or heard of a Scottie, but as the girl checked Harvey up and down with a provocative look, Donna was overcome by a wave of involuntary jealousy.
«How are you? I thought you weren't coming back until tonight»
«Yeah, well, I offered to show Donna around campus»
«Donna?»
As Scottie looked at her with a smirk, the redhead suddenly felt ridiculous seeing the girl who must have been Harvey's age, already dressed so seriously for a Sunday, clearly sure of herself and a little too close to the future lawyer.
«Oh yeah, sorry, introductions, of course. Um, Scottie, this is Donna, my little brother's best friend, she's starting college next year, so I'm showing her around. And Donna, this is Scottie, we have class together. Future lawyer too»
«Are you aiming for Harvard, Donna?»
«Not really. I planned on going to Yale, but Harvey insisted that I come see here too»
«How cute is that, Specter»chuckled the brunette.
«Yeah, hum, anyway, see you tomorrow?»
«Or before, who knows?»
«Yeah, hum, bye»
Before even giving Scottie a chance to answer, Harvey turned around, Donna being forced to follow him before moving away from the spot where the three of them had met. After stopping by a coffee shop to get two takeaway coffees, both of them continued to walk until they were facing a huge building.
«What is that?»
«My dorm»
«What?»
«Oh, come on, I told you I was going to show you my dorm, right?»
«Harvey»blushed Donna.
«Come on»winked the young man.
As he entered the building, Donna followed him with her cheeks burning and trembling legs as she thought about the fact she was about to find herself alone, far from home, in Harvey's dorm. Barely on the fourth floor, Harvey took out a card before slipping his head inside the room to watch for a few seconds and whispering with a smile.
«Come on, my roommate is not here. Welcome to my palace»
«Wow, it's... big?»
«Well, third-year privilege»
Inside, Donna took the time to observe her surroundings and smiled when she saw a typical boy's room. The space was spacious, consisting of two beds on either side, cramped desks next to them, a small kitchen, and on the other side, two sofas with a flat screen and a playstation with a door next to it, probably the bathroom. Even though the room was occupied by two boys, it was clean and tidy, and as she climbed onto Harvey's bed to look at the pictures he had put on the wall, the future lawyer swallowed hard at the sight of her from behind, standing on her knees, her bouncing ass perfectly molded in her jeans as she giggled at the pictures.
«Wow, you look drunk as fuck on this one»
«I was. I don't even remember how I got back here»
«And you have a picture of me?»smiled Donna as she looked at a picture taken this summer of her, Marcus, Gordon, and her sipping cocktails in the garden.
«Well, that was a funny day. Remember how Marcus fell off his chair?»
«Lame»snorted Donna.
«Hell yeah»
As she continued to look at the pictures, Harvey came over to sit on the end of the bed. For a few seconds, he said nothing, simply observing the way her jeans perfectly hugged her lower body, how her tight t-shirt emphasized her flat stomach, and the beginning of her breasts hidden by her raised arm holding on to the wall. As she continued to chuckle at the pictures, without thinking, he tackled her until she fell into the bed, him on top of her while he kissed her passionately, surprised to feel her hand around his neck pushing him away a few seconds later.
«Harv»
«What?»
At the same time, as she lay on her back, Harvey straddling her, their faces inches apart, still out of breath from that intense kiss, the redhead's phone rang.
«Shit, it's Marcus»
«Answer him»
«What?»
«Yeah, otherwise he'll ask himself questions»
«You're right — hello?»
«Yo Red, how are you?»
«I'm alright, you?»
«I'm good»
«Great. Are you up for a movie?»
«When?»
«Now»
«Oh, so sorry, Marcus, but I can't right now»
«Why?»
«Hum, I'm at the— »
At the same time, before she even had time to answer, Harvey began to place open-mouthed kisses on her neck, then her cleavage, before pulling her t-shirt out of her jeans to reveal the pale skin of her slightly freckled stomach to place kisses there.
«Donna?»
«Sorry, sorry, hum… I'm at the bookstore»
At the same time, Donna pushed Harvey's head with her hand to try to get him to stop, but she could feel his large hands gripping her hips with force and his laughter reverberating against her skin.
«Are you okay, Red?»
«Yeah, yeah, sorry, I'm a little... distracted»
«Alright, what bookstore are you at? Barnes & Noble? Follett's? I'll join you»
«Oh, Barnes & Noble, but the one in North Haven»
«What?»
«Yeah, it's bigger than the one at Hartford. I took the— »
As Harvey slid his tongue from her belly button to under her breasts, she bit her lip to keep from moaning as she continued to push on his head, the future lawyer clearly dying of laughter, stifling his giggles on the redhead's belly's skin.
«The what?»
«Bus. Sorry, bus»
«Are you sure you're okay?»
«Yeah, don't worry. Can I call you back later?»
«Of course, see you, Red»
«Bye, Marcus»
As soon as she hung up, she propped herself up on her elbows to look at Harvey, who was laughing when he saw her blush.
«Are you serious?»
«What? It was funny, no?»
«Funny? I was on the phone with your brother, Harv»
«So what?»
«Hey, I'm serious. What are you doing?»
«What do you mean?»
«You act like I'm your little brother's best friend, but as soon as we're together, you jump on me»
«Donna, don't get any ideas, I told you that— »
«You're not the commitment type, I know, but that doesn't change the fact that we lie around us when you secretly slip your tongue in my mouth and on my stomach»
«So what?»
«So what? Are you serious?»
«Donna, I kiss you because I like it, and besides, we're comfortable with each other and we have fun, right?»
«Yeah»
«That's all. We have fun, and that's it. As long as you don't have a boyfriend, I'm at your disposal, we have fun, we kiss without pressure and labels — I mean, like sex friends but for kisses»
«Sex friends, but for kisses? What the hell»chuckled Donna.
«Oh, come on, don't tell me you're not enjoying it»
As he moved forward a little more, he captured her mouth to kiss her passionately, taking the opportunity to put both his hands on her cheeks and slide his tongue against hers, separating a few seconds later to look at her with a smirk while waiting for an answer.
«Alright, I enjoy this»
«That's it then. We're just making out together, but that doesn't mean…»
«Exactly»
«Exactly»
With that last word, he kissed her again and again, both of them making out on the future lawyer's bed, thinking of nothing but their kisses until the room was plunged into darkness, indicating the end of the day, a sign that it was time to go back to Hartford. That night, after making another trip to drop Donna off, he leaned down to kiss her one last time in the darkness of his car before heading back to Harvard, both of them staring at the ceiling for hours without being able to fall asleep since they were in their beds. For Donna, even though she had observed the change in behavior between the private Harvey and the public one and it annoyed her, she was unable to resist him. As soon as he approached to kiss her, she was unable to push him away, and even if that's not how she imagined her first relationship, she felt like she was truly alive every time he went further, that he dared something she had never experienced before, like his tongue on her skin today. A few miles away, Harvey mentally flagged himself for everything that was happening. He couldn't do this to Donna; she was a great girl who deserved to know a real first relationship with a boyfriend, experiencing a first kiss, the first date, or even the first time, but not making out with her best friend's brother in a car or a college dorm, like a dirty secret relationship, and yet he couldn't stop. Every time it was just the two of them, he was obsessed with her, and her body acted no matter what his head told him. He knew he had to stop, get on with his life, make out and have sex with random girls or Scottie, and let Donna live her life, but he couldn't stop.
Neither of them could stop.