‘It’s just a business trip. A few days, in and out of Boston. You can tell Jenny we’ll be back on Friday.’
Mike pulled the words from the back of his mind and weighed them. It’s just a business trip. Frankly, though, it felt like so much more than that, sitting in this hotel room, this lavish, incredible space, on Thursday night, knowing he was leaving in the morning. He felt like he had been removed from reality, and this was nirvana.
There were a couple strips of photos lying on the table, ones Mike had pieced together from the silly impromptu pictures he and Harvey had taken over the past few days. He had one of himself in the local bar he and Harvey had gone to a few nights, the place where the feared attorney had introduced him to a ‘Harvey Wallbanger’, which obviously amused him deeply; one of Harvey listening intently to Mike’s favourite band, White Stripes, which he had assessed as ‘exceptional’; and a few of himself and Harvey on the plane over, where they had both done their best at mock-serious faces and a funny little open-mouthed grin, Mike had gone Zoolander and tried a Blue Steel, and Harvey had pointed the camera out to the window and pressed the shutter button himself, telling Mike about how much he loved looking down over the clouds and feeling like anything was possible if this was possible. It had been so human that Mike had been compelled to hug him tightly.
Mike’s favourite, though, was the one that a fellow traveller had snapped for him just after Harvey had told the most scandalous joke Mike had ever heard in his life. He hadn’t been able to control his laughter, and giggled endlessly whilst Harvey had sat next to him, looking at him with a teasing ‘you done?’ expression written all over his face.
Mike smiled wide at the photo now, biting his bottom lip and shaking his head.
‘Is that from when you were giggling?’ asked Harvey, suddenly looking over Mike’s shoulder at the photos. ’That was hilarious, I have to admit. Funnier than the joke.’
‘Yeah, this is from then. I’m sorry, I couldn’t get a lid on it. I just… I had no idea you could do that.’
‘Do what?’
‘Bring me to tears. I was in hysterics.’
‘It tends to surprise people, which is all right with me. I like being a surprise.’
‘What you like is being an engima. I knew almost nothing about you before this trip.’
Harvey grinned. ’I can’t argue with that.’
Mike lifted an eyebrow. ’Did I just make you smile?’
‘Hate to break it to you, Mike,’ Harvey said, taking two beers out of the overpriced hotel minibar, ‘but you’ve been doing that to me all week.’
It was Mike’s turn to smile as he took the beer Harvey offered. ’I knew I could do it if I just believed in myself.’
‘You’re a long way from perfect, Peter Pan.’
‘Not something I strive for, Captain Hook.’
Harvey leaned back and laughed, a deep, husky laugh that was so truly appealing. Wait. No. Did Mike just think that about his boss? Mike definitely did not just think that about his boss. Definitely not. He cleared his throat and loosened his tie before getting frustrated, removing the tie completely, and undoing three buttons. Payback. Ha.
Harvey snorted. ’If you’re trying to look attractive, kid, you aren’t doing it right.’
Mike’s eyes flew open. ’Wh—what— I never said I was trying to look attractive.’
‘Not directly.’ Harvey got up and crossed the room, stopping in front of Mike and raising a hand to the associate’s hair, messing it up.
‘What did you do that for?’ Mike asked crossly, trying to reassemble it.
Harvey shrugged. ’You look good with messy hair. I was just trying to help.’
Mike bit down on his lip again, harder. ’You think I look good with messy hair?’
‘I don’t think you do. I know you do. There’s a difference. If you really want to look attractive, you have to mess up your hair, and roll up your shirt sleeves, and leave your tie on, but loose, and with the top button undone. Wear a big watch, and nice shoes, and don’t shave for a day. Also, make either your shirt or your tie blue. It draws attention to your eyes.’
‘My eyes?’
‘Which are startling. They’re an incredible asset. Use them.’ Harvey set his beer down. ’Surely you already knew that.’
‘I’ve been told.’ Mike swallowed. ’It’s just a lot different, coming from you.’
‘Why’s that? Because I’m your boss?’
‘No.’
‘Why, then?’
Mike breathed in deeply and stated, matter-of-factly, ‘Because I am extremely attracted to you.’
Both men sized the other up for a moment, but it was only a moment, and then Harvey was grabbing fistfuls of Mike’s nice shirt and Mike was nipping hungrily at Harvey’s mouth, pushing him against the wall as soon as he had stood. Harvey made some noise of approval and Mike pushed harder, sliding a hand around the back of Harvey’s neck and one down his back.
Mike’s head spun. He thought of the movie he and Harvey had gone to last night, the one he’d been allowed to pick. He thought of the nights at the bar, and the Harvey Wallbangers, and the debates over who could make a better drink and a better meal and how they’d have to have each other over some night for food and a Giants game. He thought of their first night in Boston, the night that Harvey had told him how invaluable he was to him, how much he appreciated Mike’s stellar performance, over Chinese take-out. Shit, maybe he was in love with Harvey Specter.
But none of that was relevant right now. Now was Harvey, this close, his mouth tasting of recent beer and spearmint gum, and how he was definitely into this, and how Mike was becoming increasingly turned on by that fact. Now was the animal desire, and love could come later.
Time would tell.
