The next morning, as Harvey struggled to open his eyes, it took him a few moments to realize where he was before he sighed in relief. Between the clattering of a keyboard, the smell of coffee, and Donna's fingers gently gliding over his back, tracing random shapes on his skin, the lawyer had never experienced such a peaceful wake-up. For a few minutes, he stayed like that, eyes closed, savoring the calm and stillness, until he heard Donna murmur.
«Shit»
Until then, he had been lying on his stomach, his face turned toward the window, but hearing Donna's quiet grumble, he turned toward her, slowly opening his eyes as she stopped typing with one hand on the keyboard to look at him.
«Hey»
«Hey»
«Did you sleep well?»
«I've never slept better»
«I'm glad then»
After giving him a smile, she began to run her hand through his hair while refocusing on her screen, typing again. Harvey then closed his eyes once more, savoring the feeling of Donna's fingers on his scalp now as the rhythmic sound of the keyboard continued and he murmured.
«What are you doing?»
«Working»
«On a Saturday?»
«Well, I'm getting ahead as much as I can so I'll have more time for my classes»
«I get it. And what are you working on right now?»
Sitting against the headboard with the laptop on her lap, Donna kept typing as Harvey shifted to lie down beside her, his head resting on her thigh as she continued running her fingers through his hair while he focused on her screen.
«I'm organizing my boss's schedule for next week. I just need to send a few more emails to clients, confirm a business meeting for Thursday evening, and handle the billing for a big client»
«That's crazy. I never really imagined what my secretary does all day»
«Well, now you know. By the way —»
As she closed the laptop and set it aside on the floor, Donna flipped over, ending up on top of Harvey as she looked down at him with an amused expression, fully aware of the position they were in. Harvey then took advantage of the moment to slide his hands on her ass, drawing a quiet smile from both of them.
«Tell me»
«How is your secretary?»
«Donna, we don't have to— »
«We do, yeah. So? How is your secretary?»
«My secretary? She's… efficient?» smiled the lawyer.
«Harv» giggled Donna.
«What?»
«You know exactly what»
«Oh. You're asking about her physically? — Well, she's blonde»
«And?»
«With blue eyes»
«Mmh? And?»
«That's it» smirked Harvey.
«Are you into blonde with blue eyes?»
«More into hot redheads with beautiful hazel-green eyes»
«What about her age?»
«In her early thirties»
«Alright»
«What do you mean, alright?» snorted Harvey as he sat up.
«Well, I know you like your lovers a bit younger, so…» smirked the redhead.
«Oh come on, you're nine years younger than me. It's not that important»
«Well, whatever helps you sleep at night, old man»
«Hey, did I look old last night?Because I remember hearing you scream my name when I did this thing where I — »
«Alright, I got it, but don't change the subject. Is she sexy?»
«Well, to be honest, if you'd asked me two weeks ago, I might've said she wasn't that bad, yes. But now that I've seen you... I find her dull, uninteresting, and even a bit vulgar. You're so beautiful and hot, no one comes close to you»
«Yeah..»
«Hey, Donna»
«What?»
«I'm dead serious»
«You're just saying that because we're having sex»
«No, I'm not. Look, do you really think I'd risk everything and expose our secret just for sex? You're worth so much more than that. And even though we haven't known each other for long, I can tell you that everything is different with you. I'm serious about my intentions. There's so much I want you to understand, but I'm just so bad at this»
For a few seconds, she didn't say anything, and as Harvey looked at her, slightly embarrassed, she kissed his cheek, caressing his jaw before whispering softly.
«Alright»
As she smiled gently at him, Donna could see how much he wanted to say but couldn't. She knew enough about people to understand that it would take time before the lawyer opened up more. After all, they'd only known each other for just over a week, and despite how good they felt together, their relationship was still limited to a few quick secret encounters and a couple of confessions. As he held her close, planting soft kisses on her neck, she stroked his hair, her fingers running gently through it before she dropped a kiss on the side of his head and whispered in his ear.
«Hey?»
«Hmm?»
«I have an idea»
«What?»
«Well, I think over these last few days, we've really had the chance to get to know each other's bodies» giggled Donna.
«I agree» snorted Harvey as he dropped a quick kiss on her lips.
«But we still don't know each other very well as people»
«And what do you suggest?»
Without answering, Donna pulled away from Harvey, grabbed her phone from the nightstand, and then lay back down. Harvey then settled beside her, curious about what she was doing on the screen as he laughed when he saw what she had typed.
«Get to know my partner — really?»
«What?» chuckled the redhead.
«Are we really going to do web quizzes to get to know each other?»
«What? Do you have a better idea? Plus, it's cute. Come on, look at this one — 99 Questions To Ask Your Boyfriend/Girlfriend — let's do it»
As she clicked on the link and began scrolling down the page to the first question, Harvey remained silent as his heart raced, and the butterflies in his stomach went wild after hearing the title Donna had read. He hesitated, unsure of how to respond, but before he could say anything, he felt Donna's hand gently squeeze the back of his neck.
«What's going on?»
«What?»
«Your heart is speeding up. So, what's going on?»
Usually, Harvey would have been embarrassed to show such vulnerability, but with Donna, he felt so comfortable, so not judged, as he decided to be honest, snuggling into her arms a little more before whispering softly.
«Am I your boyfriend? — God, I feel like a teenagerasking you that. It's just… I've never been a boyfriend before »
As he laughed a bit embarrassed, Donna placed a gentle kiss on his forehead, a smile tugging at her lips as she looked at him with warmth, her voice sincere.
«Well, I'm good and happy with you — really happy — but I'm not forcing you to put a label on our relationship yet. I know everything is so fast, but it's at your pace, alright?»
«Alright»
«Perfect. So, first question: What's your favorite color?»
In the end, they spent the day in the redhead's bed, both in their underwear, lying in each other's arms as they got to know one another through dozens of quizzes. They moved from playful, flirty questions to anecdotes about their childhoods, touching on the basics like shoe size and their first kiss. It wasn't until evening, when it was time to shower and go pick up the shitty Thai food that had been delivered, that they finally left the bed. That evening, after not stepping outside all day and being back in the redhead's bed, Donna asleep against him, Harvey found himself deep in thought. Never in his life had he imagined spending a Saturday locked in an apartment with a girl, spending hours chatting without any intention of rushing into bed with her — even if he was already. What was different now was the genuine desire to actually get to know her. He had no idea what it was like to have a girlfriend, but as the redhead lay against him, her long hair spread across him and the pillow, he couldn't help but melt. For the first time in thirty-four years, he felt like he was finally where he belonged, finally valued for who he truly was — and maybe even loved. Even if everything between them was moving so quickly, it felt right. After falling asleep, they spent the night in each other's arms, and it wasn't until the next afternoon, when Donna groaned, still a bit sore, that Harvey finally got out of bed.
«Where are you going?»
«I have to go home»
«Really?»
«Well, I've got lessons to prepare for tomorrow, a few other things to take care of, and I need to go home at some point anyway, right? »
«I'm heartbroken» chuckled Donna.
«Trust me, I am too»
Harvey climbed back into bed to kiss her before quickly heading to the shower. He put on the same outfit he'd worn for his sort-of date with Paula, then returned to Donna, who was lying on her stomach, scrolling through her phone as he leaned down and dropped a kiss on her bare, still wet back.
«Hey?»
«Mmh?»
«I'll call you later, alright?»
«I hopefor your sake » chuckled Donna.
«Alright — See you»
«See you, Harv»
After one last tender kiss, he left her apartment. The moment the door closed behind him, a deep emptiness washed over him as he reluctantly made his way back to his own place. The day went on in its usual rhythm. While Donna took the opportunity to finish organizing Mr. Miller's schedule and did her Pilates, Harvey had wrapped up his lesson planning and gone to the dry cleaners to pick up his suits. Now, sitting alone on his couch and watching a replay of a Yankees game, he realized just how much he missed her. Not wanting to appear weak or obsessed, he tried to ignore the urge to reach out, but by five o'clock, with him pacing around his apartment, he finally gave in as he dialed her number, laughing when he heard her teasing voice on the other end.
«Do you miss me already?»
«Terribly»
«Well, I guessed that»
«Come over»
«What?»
«Spend the night at my placethis time »
«Harvey, I have to be up early for work tomorrow»
«And I give a class at eight. Come on»
«Well, since you miss me terribly — Alright, I'm coming» chuckled Donna.
«Not too fast, I want to be the one who makes you come first»
«I can't believe you just said that»
«I'll send you my address» snorted the lawyer.
«See you»
As soon as he sent Donna the address to his condo, Harvey quickly rushed to tidy up, wanting to make the place more welcoming. He started a load of laundry, but just as he was finishing, he heard a knock at the door while he moved quickly to open it. Standing there was Donna, wearing simple black wide-leg pants, a matching top, and a dark blue cardigan. As always, she looked beautiful, but what really caught Harvey off guard were the two large bags she was holding. If he had thought he might be worried about her taking up too much space, he was pleasantly surprised to find that, instead, the idea of having her at his place thrilled him.
«Hey, lover boy»
«Hey, you»
After a quick kiss on his lips, Donna entered the condo with a small laugh.
« Is this where you live? And yet, you preferred spending your Saturday at my place? You're crazy »
«I'm crazy about you, yeah»
«Cringe» snorted Donna.
As she laughed at the lawyer's puppy behavior, she placed one of the bags next to the couch and moved to the kitchen, setting the second bag on the island as she spoke softly when she began emptying its contents onto the counter.
«I think we need to stop ordering takeout, so I went to get stuff to cook. How does creamy garlic pasta sound to you?»
«That's perfect» smiled Harvey.
«Great»
As Donna moved around the condo as if she owned the place, putting things in the fridge and searching the cupboards for what she needed to cook, Harvey couldn't help but watch her, his heart racing at the sight. Everything felt so natural, so comforting, like this was exactly where he was meant to be. When she glanced over her shoulder to smile at him, his heart swelled with the overwhelming urge to kiss her, to take her to his bed and never let her go. Less than an hour later, they sat down at the table, plates of pasta in front of them and glasses of wine in hand as they talked about their lives, their plans, and everything a couple might discuss, finishing by doing the dishes together. There was a quiet intimacy in the way they worked side by side, as if they had been doing this forever. Once the kitchen was cleaned and tidied up, they headed to the bathroom, where they shared the shower, the warm water running over them as they laughed and talked. When Harvey stepped out to put on his boxer shorts, he sat on the edge of the bathtub, watching Donna with admiration and love, his eyes never leaving her as she finished up. Everything about her made him feel alive — and for the first time in a long while, he felt truly at peace.
«What do you usually watch in the evenings?»
«Oh, I don't really watch anything»
«What do you do with your evenings, then? Aside from fingering girls in bar restrooms» snorted Donna.
«Hey, that only happened once… and with you. But otherwise, nothing. Usually, I just work»
«You work? On a Sunday night?»
«Well, yeah. But if you really want to know, sometimes I watch Survivor»
«Survivor?» chuckled Donna.
«What? You've never seen it?»
«No, but I like to try new things»
«Oh — I know that» smirked Harvey.
«Don't even start — Alright, tonight it's Survivor, then»
As he chuckled softly, Harvey watched Donna remove her makeup, brush her hair and her teeth, and apply a dozen products to her skin, all while chatting away with him. And never in his life had he felt as calm as he did in those small, seemingly trivial moments. Once she finished, they both climbed into Harvey's bed while Donna started an episode of Survivor on his laptop, snuggling back into his arms as they both settled in to watch. As Donna commented on the challenge where the contestants had to stay standing on a platform, Harvey took a quiet moment to appreciate the simplicity of it all. So, this was what two people who had feelings for each other did? Since his teenage years, after witnessing his parents tear each other apart, Harvey had been convinced that all relationships were doomed to end tragically. If Gordon and Lily — a couple who had loved each other more than anything — had fallen apart, why would it be different for him? Since then, he had never allowed himself to truly love, nor had he given any relationship a fair chance. At thirty-four, Harvey had never pictured himself spending a quiet night like this, as his evenings typically consisted of late nights at the office, working on files in his living room, or fleeing from some stranger's bed. He'd heard his colleagues and friends talk about their relationships and home lives, but it never made him dream. But now, with Donna in his arms, he could have easily spent the rest of his days living these moments with her. Maybe it was her age — the fact that she was younger, more carefree — but everything about this felt so effortless, so fun and it made him feel like a teenager again, like the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders. A few minutes later, Harvey felt Donna's weight shift as she grew heavier against him. Realizing she had fallen asleep, he quietly turned off the laptop and placed it on the floor as he rearranged her carefully, pulling the covers around her, and then turned off the lights. The quiet, peaceful darkness settled in as they both drifted into a deep, comfortable sleep in each other's arms. The next morning, they woke up together, and after sharing the bathroom, they made breakfast together, laughing and talking as they went. But as Donna reluctantly prepared to leave for work, Harvey did everything he could to keep her there, kissing her repeatedly while she laughed, protesting but unable to resist his affection.
«Harv, I really have to go»
«Come on, let me enjoy this a little. God knows when we'll get to spend all our time together next »
«I'll keep you posted, alright? But you really have to let me go»
Reluctantly, Harvey released her face, pressing one last lingering kiss to her lips before letting her go. He then watched her leave, the emptiness of the apartment settling in as he sighed deeply. After finishing his coffee, he headed out about twenty minutes later, making his way to the university. Meanwhile, Donna sat at her desk, her gaze drifting to the latest messages Harvey had sent her as a smile tugged at her lips when she read his words, the warmth in her chest growing with every text. She couldn't help but feel completely smitten, her heart fluttering with the same butterflies she hadn't felt in a long time. She knew the reality: between her own classes, her work, his office hours, his tutoring, and their limited time together, their chances to be with each other would be few and far between — and that didn't even account for the constant threat of anyone discovering them. Outside the privacy of their apartment, every moment together was a risk, but they couldn't help it, they were obsessed with each other.
God, this was going to be the longest week of their lives.