The weeks flew by, and as the duo continued to take first place with their dances, including contemporary, Rumba, and Halloween night, Harvey and Donna saw their popularity soar, especially on social media, where they became the new «goal» duo. Many people became intrigued by the juicy details and potential signs that could betray a possible romance between the two, and as they entered the sixth week of the competition, and the two adults spent hours rehearsing every day — more than anyone else — they found themselves becoming more and more comfortable with each other. They grew increasingly tactile during the live shows, with bolder dances, as both could admit to themselves that they had a huge crush on each other, even if neither would ever openly acknowledge it. That Monday morning, after having spent twenty-four hours apart, their reunion was eagerly anticipated. Harvey waited at the bottom of the studio where Donna usually practiced, the place she had asked him to meet her. If he briefly considered buying her flowers, the thought quickly faded when he saw her get out of a large car and heard the redhead casually say «Bye, Thomas» before walking over to join him in front of the building. In that instant, the athlete felt jealousy rising within him.
«Hey, you're here already?»
«Yeah»
«Have you been waiting long?»
«Ten minutes»
«Sorry, I was a little late this morning»
«I noticed. I didn't know you were that close to Thomas»
«Thomas? We're not really close. We just happened to rent in the same building for the duration of the show, and since the studio where he trains is a bit farther, he gave me a ride on his way»
«Alright»
«What? Is there a problem?»
«No, why?»
«I don't know»
«Anyway, should we go?»
«Sure»
A few minutes later, as they entered the studio they would occupy for at least six hours that day, Harvey watched as Donna removed the bulky sweater she had put on, revealing the crop top underneath, her toned abs and slightly defined stomach driving the football player crazy. After tying her hair, she approached Harvey and took a seat in front of him, speaking in a soft voice.
«Alright, so this week we're going to dance a Paso Doble. You know what that is? »
«No idea»
«So it's one of the standard Latin ballroom dances, kind of passionate and dramatic, evoking the excitement and intensity of a bullfight, with powerful movements and dramatic pauses»
«Sounds intense»snorted Harvey.
«It is, yeah»
«So, what's the plan?»
«Should I show you?»
After showing him a few basic steps, she demonstrated the choreography in slow motion, emphasizing the movements as the football player quickly memorized the sequence of steps. They practiced for hours, finishing the day as it grew dark outside, exhausted from the long session.
«I think we're done for today»
«Already?»asked Harvey.
«Well, we've been at it for almost six hours, and I don't want to kill you»giggled the redhead.
«Oh, please, I'm stronger than you think»
«Alright Captain America, we're done, then»
«Alright. See you tomorrow, Donna»
«See you, Harv»
After a wave of the hand, they both left the studio to head back to their respective places as the footballer couldn't help but think about how Thomas had accompanied Donna in the morning and how he would probably do the same the next day. He could tell how the dancer looked at the redhead, and it was exactly the same way he looked at her, too, but this time, it was different. He wanted Donna, and there was no way he was going to let such a rare gem slip through his fingers, so as soon as he got home, he took advantage of the fact that it wasn't yet time to cook and worked out a little longer. Even though he regularly trained for football, he had noticed how Donna checked him out when she thought he wasn't looking or how she would let her fingers linger just a bit longer than necessary on his biceps when they danced together. Plus, Thomas was also muscular, and he knew he had to be even more so to stand out from the brunet and keep her from falling for his charm even if he was convinced Donna wasn't the type to care about such trivialities; she was too smart for that. Once finished, he made himself something to eat before watching a football rerun and falling asleep with his heart racing at the thought of seeing her again the next day. As for Donna, the redhead felt butterflies every time she relived the moment when Harvey had clearly been jealous of Thomas. While stretching at home, she couldn't help but chuckle at all the tweets about her and the footballer, as well as the growing number of fan accounts day by day. The next morning, after a good night's sleep, she was surprised to see a message from Harvey when she stepped out of the shower. The young man was asking for the exact address of her place, and as she replied with her heart racing, almost an hour later, she bit her lower lip as she saw him leaning against a large black car, his arrogant smile and chocolate eyes making her melt.
«Harvey»
«Hey»
«What are you doing here?»
«I was passing by on my way to the studio and thought we could go together. Hope you didn't have other plans?»
Donna immediately understood the implication in Harvey's message — he wanted to know if Thomas had planned to drop her off. As she was about to respond, the person in question walked out of the building, coming to an abrupt stop when he saw Harvey staring at him with a provocative look.
«Oh»
«Thomas, hello»snorted Harvey.
«Hello — Hey, I sent you a message, you didn't see it?»
«Sorry, I saw it too late, Harvey was already here. But maybe another time?»
«Absolutely»fake-smiled Thomas.
Absolutely not, thought Harvey as he opened the door for the redhead to sit, casting an arrogant glance at the other guy. During the ride, they chatted about everything and nothing until they arrived at the studio, where they both changed into more comfortable clothes to begin the rehearsal. While Donna simply took off her oversized sweater to reveal her usual leggings and top, Harvey was a bit different. Normally, the footballer wore either sweatpants or longer shorts that reached his knees, but this time, unlike his usual style, his shorts ended mid-thigh, revealing his muscular, powerful legs and sending a shiver down the redhead's spine. If she thought her discomfort was over, that was before she saw him take off his sweater. She was taken aback when, instead of a simple t-shirt, he had chosen to wear a tight white tank top that clung to his chest, accentuated his abs, and revealed his huge biceps with veins popping out all over his arms, the sight leaving Donna flushed.
«Shall we start?»
«Yeah, of course. You ready to pick up the choreography?»
«About that, I don't think it's going to work»
«What?»
«The choreography. It's not working for me»
«Harvey, I'm the choreographer, not you. Unless you became one overnight and I wasn't aware of it »whispered Donna.
«I know you are, and I think it's great. But let's make it sexier»
«Excuse me?»
«Last night, I couldn't sleep, so I started watching videos on YouTube, and I came across this one. Your choreography is amazing, Donna, but I'm sure if we dance like those two, we'll be first on Friday night»
As he handed her his phone, Donna swallowed hard as she saw what he was showing her. Of course, she knew that video, she had watched it over and over because the choreography was executed perfectly and was sexy as hell. But as intense as the Paso Doble could be, this was on another level, and Donna wasn't sure if they could pull it off. It wasn't a question of technique — because if there was one thing the footballer was good at, it was dancing, as they both trained enough to expect perfection in their step sequences. But what they needed was the right chemistry, and right now, Donna wasn't sure if it was a good idea. Once the two-minute video ended, she handed the phone back to Harvey, who was watching her expectantly, waiting for a reaction.
«So?»
«This is a lot»
«I know you can do it, and I'm pretty sure that if I work hard, I can do it too»
«Harvey»
«What? You believe I can't»
«No, it's not that»
«What is it then?»
«Do you know they're married?»
«What?»
«Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert are married»
«I didn't know. But what does that have to do with our performance?»
«Harvey, dancing is a complex thing. The step sequences are one thing, and yes, we're excellent at that — you can see it in our results since the start of the competition — but here, it's more than that. In that video, they have that chemistry and closeness because they're a married couple. That chemistry is natural, and it's through their relationship that they make it so hot and passionate. We're not going to achieve that»
«Of course we will»
«Are we married and I don't know about it?»snorted the redhead.
«We could be, if you want»
«Harvey»
«I'm dead serious. We can do it like them, but you need to change the choreography. It has to be way sexier»
«I don't know…»
«Do you have faith in me?»
«Yeah»
«Then let's be sexier»
For a few seconds, Donna thought it over, pacing the room and staring at the floor while Harvey waited for her response. If he thought she was going to turn him down, that she wouldn't want to change the choreography or anything like that, he was wrong. After a few seconds, he watched as she took a deep breath before walking over to him, her expression serious as she leaned in and whispered.
«Alright, let's do that. However, we're not changing the whole choreography. What we'll do is simply speed up the steps, get closer — much closer — and add a few more daring moves. But we'll have to be super careful, because if you catch me wrong and I get hurt, my career is over. Alright, you know what? I'll show you an example so you can see if changing the pace works and if the final result is to your liking»
«Good»
As he settled in front of the mirrors, he watched her grab her phone, tapping a few times on the screen, while he felt his heart start to race. This was what he loved about her — she was in control, confident, and sure of herself and her choices, but at the same time, she listened to him and took his thoughts into account, even though she was the choreographer, and just a few weeks ago, he knew nothing about dance. And yet, despite having to rack her brain for the choreography, she hadn't hesitated to make adjustments and, more importantly, to ask him if the result was to his liking. As the music began to play, he understood that she was waiting for the moment of her solo, when Harvey was supposed to finish his and wait for her to do hers so they could continue dancing together right after. As the first notes echoed in the room, Harvey felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up when he saw her position herself at the center of the room, looking up with a determined gaze, tapping her foot, and then starting to dance. The moment she began to move to the rhythm of the music, her body undulating as if she were missing a few vertebrae and joints, her gaze intense, her hair flying as she spun with speed and sensuality, her limbs moving with fluidity and control, Harvey quickly realized just how screwed he was. Those thirty seconds of her solo felt both incredibly short and incredibly fast, and as she finished with a sharp tap of her foot, Harvey watched her, his mouth slightly open and his eyes wide like saucers, clearly impressed by what had just unfolded before him. As she lowered her head, his breath was ragged as he met her gaze. Waiting for his approval, she saw him nod quickly before he responded simply.
«Wow»
«Is it better?»
«Way better. That's exactly what we need to do»
«It's gonna be a lot of work, Harvey»
«I'm up to it»
«Alright»
As they both nodded quickly at each other, clearly on the same page about what they wanted, Harvey was still a bit in shock from seeing Donna's performance, while the redhead was still trying to catch her breath as the footballer stood up and observed his partner, waiting for her next move. Together, they decided to focus on their solos for the day, giving Donna time to think about how they would modify the choreography as a duo. Donna then moved next to Harvey, showing him how he needed to perform his solo with the same intensity as hers. As he finished his first attempt, he realized just how much work lay ahead, the result was nothing short of spectacular. For nearly five more hours, they repeated the dance over and over, their bodies drenched in sweat and their breaths ragged. Meanwhile, Harvey executed the steps faster and with more precision each time, while Donna alternated between dancing with him and observing, offering advice and corrections. After performing the choreography for what felt like the thousandth time, Donna cut the music, and they both collapsed onto the floor, struggling to catch their breath as he heard her speaking softly.
«I think we're good»
«Yeah, I'm not sure I'm able to move anymore»
« We still need to stretch, though »
«Ugh»
«Come on, let's do it»
Harvey watched as the redhead stood up to retrieve her phone, which was lying a little further away, her lower body was perfectly shaped in her outfit, and he couldn't help but notice the strip of damp skin between her leggings and her bra, which sent a rush of heat through him as she stretched her back while walking. As soon as soft music filled the room, Donna returned to his side to begin their stretching session. Both of them worked to relax their muscles after such an intense day, and Harvey realized it was time for the session to end — he didn't want to risk extending their time together, whether in the car or at their places. Once the session was over, they both headed home, taking long, relaxing showers to unwind — and, in some ways, to calm the lingering tension between them — while anticipating the next day's training. As usual, Thomas was waiting for her outside her place, but when Donna stepped onto the sidewalk and saw Harvey there again, she gave Thomas an apologetic smile before joining the footballer in the car. The night before, they had rehearsed their solos, but it proved to be more insightful than expected, as Donna had time to rethink the entire choreography. As she began explaining her plan while stretching in front of Harvey, her legs spread slightly as she leaned forward, Harvey made an effort to focus on her words rather than the distracting sight of her body. Once they were done, Donna straightened up, slipping into her heels, and handed Harvey a pair of derby shoes before continuing to explain the details of her new choreography. As she spoke, she moved toward the wall to turn off the light, plunging the room into darkness, lit only by the soft glow of the studio's windows.
«I'm setting the mood a bit. Alright, I've thought about it, and we're not going to change much. We'll just speed up the pace and add a couple more spectacular moves»
«Got it»
«Come here»
The two of them then moved closer, and Harvey positioned himself behind her, as if preparing for choreography, he didn't expect Donna to suddenly step back, causing their bodies to collide. Her back pressed against his chest as she grabbed his arm and slipped it around her neck. Their eyes, dark with desire, locked in the mirror as she whispered,.
«Closer»
After a nod from the footballer, they began to dance. As he moved, shifting to stand next to her, Donna suddenly spun around. Until that moment, they had been facing each other, only a few inches apart, but with this new version, there was no longer any space between them. Their chests pressed together, their noses brushing, and their lips nearly touching. Realizing it had to be more passionate than ever before, instead of placing his hand on her neck as planned, he took the initiative to slide it to her cheek, feeling the redhead's warm breath against his lips. She then slid both arms around his neck, their gazes locked on each other as the next step was for him to tilt Donna so she could spin around herself and then around him. But as he rushed to execute the move, the redhead stopped, looked at him, and spoke.
«You need to be more direct. Pull my arm harder to give me more momentum so I can spin faster»
«I don't want to hurt you»
«You won't. Harder»
This time, he listened to Donna and pulled harder on her arm, making her spin faster. He quickly followed with the next step, moving seamlessly into it. The redhead made sure their bodies intertwined, adding a more sensual effect. After repeating the step several times and now mastering it, they moved on until Donna stepped back, took a deep breath, and looked at him.
«This is where we'll add the more complicated move»
«Alright, what did you have in mind?»
«You're going to spin me 360 degrees»
«What?»
«I'm going to bend my leg, and you'll slide both your hands under my thigh and tilt me backward. But you have to be quick so I can spin without falling»
«Alright»
Though Harvey didn't seem entirely comfortable, she guided him through each movement. As she explained that he needed to swing her backward, he looked at her with wide eyes, clearly unsure he could do it, but with her encouragement, he went for a first attempt. Let's just say the first try was a failure — she ended up clutching his neck, while Harvey's large hands were awkwardly wrapped around her thigh.
«Are you insane?I'm gonna hurt you »
«No you won't. Just do it faster»
For several more minutes, they repeated the same move over and over until they had it completely mastered. After taking a short break, they dove back into the routine, continuing to train until the sun set and the studio was completely enveloped in darkness. It was then that they decided to stop, stretch, and finally head home, and even though they wanted to forget what they had just experienced over the past few hours, it was far too complicated to push aside. As Donna was in the shower, every time she rubbed soap on her body, she could feel Harvey's muscular chest against her back, his biceps bulging around her neck, his big hands gripping her thighs, or his powerful thigh supporting her arched back. The redhead was used to this closeness with her partners — after all, she was a dancer — but with Harvey, it was different. She was attracted to him, and while she knew the chemistry would be even more palpable on screen, it was for herself that she realized just how difficult this would be to navigate. As for Harvey, in the middle of his hundredth push-up, he tried to shake off the sensation of Donna's body against his — fragile, with her slender limbs, yet powerful as she supported him in each movement. She drove him crazy, and even though the main goal of these rehearsals was to be the best and finish first, he couldn't help but want more. With each passing day, he found himself falling for her a little more, as she was absolutely perfect. The next day, after his morning run, he met Donna in front of her place before they headed to the studio, where they rehearsed for nearly eight more hours. The same routine followed the day after, and the day after that, until Friday arrived, and both of them found themselves at the studios for the show.
«Harvey?»
«Yeah?»
«You're expected in the fitting room»
«Where is Donna?»
«Already there»
«Alright»
As soon as he entered the room, Harvey thought he was hallucinating. Donna was standing on a chair, a seamstress busy adjusting the hem of her dress while the redhead casually scrolled through her phone, chatting amiably with the woman at the same time. In front of him, his dance partner wore a completely see-through outfit, her pale skin visible underneath, with red, sequined flowers strategically placed to cover the more intimate parts of her body. The moment she noticed Harvey, she smiled at him before speaking in a soft voice.
«Hey»
«Hey. Nice outfit»
«Thanks. Yours is hanging over there»
As she pointed to a costume cover in the corner of the room with her head, Harvey quickly grabbed it and headed toward the fitting room, changing from his tracksuit into black dress pants and a sheer black shirt, the fabric barely concealing his skin beneath — something he wasn't used to wearing. But when he stepped out and saw Donna glance at him quickly, he thought maybe the transparent shirt wasn't such a bad idea after all. Once they were both ready, they made their way to the stage. Even though they weren't new to performing, they couldn't help but feel their hearts race when the spotlights went dark, and the room was plunged into complete darkness until the first notes of music filled the air and the deep red visuals appeared on the screens behind them, barely illuminating the pair of dancers, the tension between them became almost palpable as they began their dance. For nearly three minutes, they moved with speed and sensuality, flawlessly executing their choreography until the lights came back on, their chests touching with every deep breath, their faces just inches apart, while everything around them seemed to vanish — the two of them only focused on each other.
«Alright Donna, do you need another rehearsal?»
As they returned to reality, the redhead pulled away from Harvey, feeling his large hand slide from her back to her hip before he let it fall to his side, staring at her with dark eyes as she turned to one of the technicians to speak loudly.
«We're good, thanks»
Without another word, the pair left the stage and headed toward the makeup area to get fully ready for the evening. Once the footballer was done and Donna was left alone, Alma quickly stepped in front of her, eyes wide, and murmured with a soft laugh in her voice.
«Wow, what just happened out there?»
«What do you mean?»
«I saw you two dance»
«What about it?»
«I thought you two were about to have sex on the stage»
«Alma»whispered Donna as she blushed.
«I'm sorry, but you guys are hot»
«It was his idea»
«What do you mean?»
«I suggested a choreography, but then he went and watched Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert's performance on YouTube, and now he's convinced it has to be exactly like that. So I had to change it, and it became... that»
«I'm jealous»
«What?»snorted the redhead.
«Well, first of all, you're dancing with the Harvey Specter. That's something. And honestly, with this dance, you two are definitely going to come first. There's no other way. It's absolutely perfect»
«We shall see»
In the end, Alma was right. As soon as they stepped onto the stage, the moment the spotlights went out, they heard the crowd scream, clearly favoring them as the stars of the show. As the music started, it was as if there was nothing but them — between the music, the proximity, the adrenaline, and every touch and brush of skin against skin, the dancer and her partner felt their bodies on fire as they could feel each other's breath against their faces. As they finished, with one of Harvey's arms under her arched back and the other beneath her thigh, the moment the footballer quickly pulled her up to help her straighten, she ended up pressed against his chest, and as the lights came back on, the crowd erupted in applause for their performance. As the judges debriefed, Donna shivered as she felt Harvey position himself behind her, his fingers grazing her hip before finally resting on her lower stomach, his warm breath against her neck while the three judges shared their thoughts on the exceptional performance they had just delivered. After a series of nines, the two of them jumped into each other's arms as he swallowed hard, feeling Donna's lips brush against his moist skin. In the end, they took first place, as usual, and once they were out of the stage, they quickly removed their makeup and changed. Minutes later, when Donna saw the nameRachelappear on her screen, she stepped aside, isolating herself from the room.
«Hey, Rach»
«You're fucking kidding me»
«What?»
«You two had sex?»
«Rachel»exclaimed the redhead.
«I'm sorry, but there is no way you danced with that hottie the way you did without you two having sex together. It was way too hot»
«I didn't have sex with him»
«Well, girl, I don't know how you do it, because I wouldn't have the courage to resisthim »
«Is that why you're calling me?»
«Yeah, that's it»
«Alright, I'll let you go then, because I'm exhausted»
As Rachel continued to tease her best friend for a few more seconds, Donna barely had time to hang up before quickly waving goodbye to Harvey. She then left the studio without giving the footballer a chance to offer her a ride home, leaving him watching her walk away with his heart racing, his phone ringing in his pocket as he hurried to pick up.
«Hello?»
«Man»
«What's going on?»
«You kidding? That night was… a lot»
«I know, right?»
«How are you doing?»
«She's driving me insane, Mike»
«I was talking about the show, but alright. You wanna talk about her?»
«Why not, yeah»
For another ten minutes, Harvey sat on a bench outside, letting the cool air hit his face as he talked to his best friend about the woman who haunted his nights. He confided in him, feeling like he didn't even recognize himself anymore as he was used to jumping from one relationship to another, never really getting attached, never wanting anything serious. But Donna — she was different. Without meaning to, she was driving him crazy by being absolutely perfect. He loved her softness and attentiveness, sure, but what had surprised him the most was her ability to be dominant. Usually, he was the textbook alpha male — powerful, a little caveman-like — but with her, when she gave him orders and took control in the dance, he was capable of anything for her.
God, he was losing his mind.