highlander_ii

This is for you. was all that was printed on the note. A single card, off-white, black lettering. Simple.

She tilted her head at it. Read it again. Looked at the object next to it, but was still confused.

The object in question was a single, red rose. But who had given it to her? Who had left it on her desk.

More than that, who would've come in early enough to be able to leave it without her knowing about it? It was exceedingly rare for most of the office to get in before she did. Sometimes Jessica was there, maybe Mike. Rachel on days when there was a lot of doc-review. A few of the other associates. And, Harvey, that one time when he knew Michael Jordan would be in town and he thought she hadn't known how excited he was by the possibility of squeezing in a lunch. (She sees everything; hadn't he learned that already?)

Except this.

Someone had slipped in unnoticed and placed the rose on her desk. Complete with cryptic note.

It was a sweet gesture. Assuming it wasn't from some stalker she wasn't aware of. (She thought she'd run all of them off already.)

Just then, Mike walked by and she caught his attention. "Hey, was this you?" she asked, holding up the flower.

Mike shook his head. "No." He bounced over to her desk. "Do you have a secret admirer?" he asked with a cheesy smile.

"Several," she said flatly. "But most of them wouldn't come here to give me a single flower."

"It is a little..."

"What, Michael?"

"Uh - cliché?"

She fed him another look. "Roses are cliché?"

"Romantically, yes."

"Go," she said, pointing down the hall.

She watched Mike back away and turn down the hall. She had work to do, so her investigation into the flower on her desk would have to wait a bit. If Harvey hadn't been in court and meetings all day, she'd confront him too.

Until then, she'd have to settle for bothering Rachel.

Donna twisted her mouth. "I don't recognize the handwriting." She held out the card.

"It's not handwriting, Donna. It's a computer font that looks a little like handwriting."

"Well, damn."

"Still stumped, huh?"

Donna nodded and chewed her lip. "This is going to bother me all day."

"Are you sure it wasn't Harvey?"

"This isn't Harvey's style."

"Not traditionally no. But, Donna, when's the last time he had a serious girlfriend?" Rachel asked.

"Huh," Donna thought. Then shook her head. "Still not really his style."

Rachel shrugged.

Donna went back to her desk and paused at the corner when she saw Harvey was back in his office. She tapped the card against her nails, picked up the rose, then stepped into his office.

"Harvey..."

"Not now, Donna. I'm finishing..."

"I know, but -" she held up the flower in a silent question.

He looked up at her. "Someone likes you."

"Any idea who?"

"Nope," he said and turned back to the paperwork on his desk.

"Harvey-"

"What?"

She shook her head. "Nevermind."

There was a beat, then she heard him say, "I'm going to be here late tonight. Go ahead and head home at five."

"You sure?" It wasn't unusual for him to suggest she leave before him, but at five?

He nodded once.

She settled at her desk. Five o'clock came a lot sooner than she'd expected. She finished a few things, gathered her bag, and was ready to leave at twenty after. She tossed a quick glance to Harvey in his office before she turned for the elevators.

The scene when she arrived at Harvey's condo was definitely a surprise. The dining table was layered with a gorgeous array of food. A pair of candles settled in the center, lit and flickering softly. It smelled amazing. It was beautiful, and sweet, but still a surprise. Especially when she saw Harvey sitting on the couch.

How the hell had he beaten her back to the condo? She left before he did.

"I always knew you had secret tunnels under the city," she said, dropping her coat and purse on a chair.

Harvey grinned slyly at her. That charming, yet wicked, grin of his that she found so damned frustrating when he was using it to manipulate her, but, so damned sexy when he wasn't.

She still didn't know how he'd gotten back here faster than she had. Sure, she'd taken a little detour to pick up a few things, but she hadn't been at the store that long. Had she?

She narrowed her eyes at him, leaning one hip against the back of the chair. "You didn't work late at all, did you?"

All he gave her was that same wicked grin. He was such a bastard sometimes.

Holding up the single rose, she states, "This is from you, isn't it?"

He didn't answer that question either. She already knew. And he knew that she knew.

"Thank you, Harvey," she said with a soft smile.