A Hot and Steamy Affair Begins on 'Suits'

As if Ava "Lady Catelyn Stark" Hessington—accused of conspiring to commit murder—hasn't had enough fun lately, Hessington Oil now faces a hostile takeover attempt by Tony Gianopoulos. Harvey and Mike believe that any statements and appearances would compromise her defense. But, charged with protecting her company, Louis Litt demands that Hessington publicly comfort her increasingly anxious stockholders.

In fact, he's set up an interview behind Harvey's back. Masquerading as Hessington's assistant, Mike—in a delightful faux British accent—gets to the journalist first and cancels the meeting. For her part, Ava's hardly grateful. "This company is my life," she tells Specter, despite his insistence that her intervention will only make her look greedy in the eyes of jurors.

Dana is wearing a new dress—that royal blue with the flaming hair is very Joan. Could the outfit maybe, possibly, have just a little something to do with her flirtation with Pearson Darby's British import Stephen Huntley? Yup. (I've never seen someone sensually unjam a copy machine before.) Drooling euphemisms at each other, they agree to begin a kind of relationship—either an "arrangement" or a "hot and steamy affair," depending on who you ask. He takes her to see Daniel Day-Lewis star in Macbeth... and out to dinner with Day-Lewis afterwards. But theeeeey decide to skip the show (wink wink, nudge nudge, sex). Donna couldn't be happier, at least until she realizes that she'll have to keep all this a secret from Specter.

When Litt requests that Ava resign her position, Jessica supports him. Harvey steps to his boss, reminding her that it was Darby—the firm's majority owner—who put him on the case in the first place.

Back in Associateland, Mike and Katrina combine their considerable brainpower and, to their surprise, find a new plan to save Hessington Oil: "Shit." "Shit." Shitty shit." "Sheeeeeeet." They declare a truce.

Litt goes to meet with Gianopoulos, armed with evidence that his company controls assets that—in combination with Hessington's own holdings—would constitute an illegal monopoly. Check. Too bad Gianopoulos already arranged an exception with the chairman of the FTC, a personal friend of his. Checkmate. Jessica, peeved at Harvey and Darby alike, tacity gives Litt her approval to ask the board of directors to ditch Ava Hessington.

Though Mike and Harvey had entirely written off Ava as guilty, her frank and hearfelt expression of concern for the families her pipeline has affected convinces them she's innocent. Maybe she should testify after all? Video of her deposition passes from Mike to Katrina to Litt, all of whom are swayed to her side. Litt painfully regrets his decision to involve the board, but it's too late.

Ava is ousted in a surprise early vote. She's furious with Harvey, who is in turn furious with Jessica. He's even a little furious with Donna when he sees her making copies for Stephen. That doesn't bode well.

High-Litt of the week: [To the statuesque Katrina:] "If you were less attractive, I'd love you."

But love is all around: Mike and Rachel, who are at this rate checking off one convenient relationship milestone per episode, mutually drop the L-bomb.

Image via USA