Chapter 14
Penelope stood in the lobby of Bridgerton House, patiently waiting for Eloise to come downstairs so she could go to the modiste for her dress fitting. Her eyes lit up as she saw Colin at the top of the stairs.
"Pen! I was not expecting to see you here!" Colin exclaimed; his own smile lighting up his eyes as he began to descend down the stairs.
"Nor I you." Penelope replied. "I am waiting for Eloise to go to the modiste. Why are you here?"
"Right now, I am here doing this." Colin replied, a cheeky grin on his face as he strode towards her.
He cupped her face in his hands and crashed his lips against hers. Penelope gripped his waist to steady herself as she moaned against his lips, quickly letting his tongue gain access to her mouth.
She quickly forgot her surroundings and began to kiss him back, her hands sliding down his hips and towards his manhood. She gently stroked him through his breeches as she gently nibbled his lower lip; the sensation of both combined taking Colin by surprise; forcing him to pull away.
"Sorry. Did you not like it?" Penelope asked, nervously.
"I liked it a little too much." Colin replied with a smirk, resting his forehead against Penelope's as his thumb grazed her lower lip. "The student has become the teacher."
"I am trying." Penelope replied.
"Trust me, you do not even have to try." Colin said. "I really need to be alone with you…I feel like I might burst."
Penelope giggled. "Soon…." She promised, giving him a soft, quick kiss.
"That is what you said when we walked the promenade and that was almost a week ago." Colin shot back, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her into him.
"I have been quite busy you know…being a bride…your bride." Penelope replied, draping her arm lightly around his neck. "And the promenade was only three days ago…and we will be together at the Stephen's ball tomorrow night."
"I did not realise a wedding would be so time consuming." Colin muttered. "We should have just eloped."
"And do that to our families?" Penelope shot back. "We both know we could not do that. My family really would think I trapped you with a child."
"I would settle for a chance to practice making babies at this stage." Colin muttered, pouting.
"Who needs to practice making babies when I have one right in front of me?" Penelope teased.
"Just please tell me I will not have much longer to see my future wife alone." Colin stated. "Now that I know we are going to be together forever, I miss you when you are not here."
"You will see me tomorrow night at the ball." Penelope reassured him. "It is our first event as a betrothed couple."
"That is with other people Pen." Colin stated. "Please come to the apartment; after I meet Anthony today, I have no plans."
"I will see what I can do." Penelope replied, before giving him another, soft gentle kiss. "Why are you meeting Anthony? Is he helping you with your deal with the publishers?"
"Gosh no!" Colin replied. "I told you I would tell the family soon. He um…he thinks he has found us a house."
"Colin! But I love…" Penelope began to argue.
"I cannot exactly tell Anthony that my new wife is happy to stay in the apartment because she has already been there…on numerous occasions." Colin interjected. "Although the scandal of it all would have us at the altar tomorrow morning so…"
"Colin!" Penelope laughed, playfully slapping him before their lips crashed together, for a longer, more passionate kiss.
"Ugh! Colin, this is the family home…put my best friend down." Eloise barked.
Colin groaned and Penelope giggled as they broke apart; both of them looking to find Eloise coming down the stairs.
"Impeccable timing as usual Eloise." Colin retorted. "And she may be your best friend but wife trumps best friend."
"She is not your wife just yet and you were lucky it was me and not mother that caught you." Eloise replied, staring down her brother; her arms crossed.
"And this is one of the many reasons that Daff will always be my favourite sister." Colin muttered.
"I do not care…I have Benedict." Eloise retorted with a shrug of her shoulders.
Colin groaned. "Always a pleasure Eloise." He turned back to Penelope; giving her one last lingering kiss; partly to get at Eloise but also because he wanted to. "I will try my best with Anthony." He reassured Penelope. "And please remember to see what you can do." He gave her a knowing look.
Penelope smirked, knowing he was referring to a visit to the apartment. "I will." She replied.
Colin smiled and give her one last quick kiss and left.
"Ew… I really do not understand why you want to marry him." Eloise stated.
"You will once you fall in love." Penelope replied, linking arms with her friend. "But until then…can you try and be nice to him? He will be my husband and if you both insist on sharing me…I need you to play nice…for me?"
"Ugh…fine!" Eloise muttered. "But only because it is you."
"Thank you." Penelope replied as they left the house.
xoxoxoxoxoxox
Colin stood in the drawing room of the home Anthony had found for him and Penelope. It was a modest 3-bedroom townhouse just off Mayfair in Bruton Street; perfectly acceptable for a 3rd born son on £5,000 a year.
"So, what do we think?" Anthony asked. "There is a nice garden out the back and separate bathing chambers…which Kate and I really find helps keep a marriage happy."
"Anthony it is perfectly nice and appropriate for our means but…" Colin began.
"But?" Anthony queried.
"It is the location." Colin replied.
"The location is superb!" Anthony shot back. "You are just two streets away for the square, close to Hasting House, Bridgerton House and Featherington House and even closer to the home I found mother and our younger siblings."
"Wait!" Colin interjected. "Are you actually going to shift the family out of the family home? Kate insisted we stay, at least until you begin your own…" Colin's eyes widened.
"Please do not say." Anthony pleaded. "Kate does not want the family to know until you are safely on your honeymoon. Penelope is to be celebrated…she deserves to be the centre of attention at her wedding."
"Brother!" Colin exclaimed, hugging Anthony. "You are going to be a father. Congratulations!"
"Thank you…it is quite uneasy on the mind…I will be responsible for raising a lady or gentleman…it is a lot." Anthony stated as the embrace ended.
"I am sure it is…but you have already been carrying that responsible ever since father passed." Colin said, rubbing Anthony's shoulder reassuringly. "You are the only father figure Gregory and Hyacinth have really ever known."
"I suppose that is true." Anthony muttered. "However, mother often talks about your natural skills in the nursery with Gregory and Hyacinth while I was in Oxford. But still, please do not say a word…Kate will kill me."
"Your secret is safe." Colin replied. "I really appreciate that you are making this effort so Pen can have her moment."
"It is Penelope; she deserves to have it." Anthony responded, with a shrug. "She has always been an extended member of our family and now she will officially be a sister. I did not think you would take as long to see it…I thought you may have seen it last season but then again, I cannot say much after my behaviour last season."
"But we both got our perfect wives in the end." Colin said, with a smile.
"Yes, we did." Anthony agreed, returning the smile. "Now, back to this dismissal of location…I do not understand it."
"Anthony, I like the area I live in now." Colin replied. "I understand an apartment is not suitable for a couple, especially if we start a family…"
"Bedford Square is not the location for a gentleman and his lady." Anthony said. "It is for those with professions."
"And what if Pen and I have our professions?" Colin queried.
"Being husband and wife is hardly a profession or career." Anthony scoffed, then his eyes widened. "Is Penelope still going to continue as Lady Whistledown?"
"No…Lady Whistledown has been retired." Colin replied. "But now it is my turn to share a secret that you must keep..." Anthony nodded in agreement. "Pen has been offered her own column in an actual newspaper."
"And you are okay with her working as a married lady?" Anthony asked.
"Yes, of course if it makes her happy." Colin replied. "She has been missing writing Whistledown and she is actually really talented."
"Mother will not understand this." Anthony said.
"Which is why we are not saying until it is too late." Colin replied.
"And will you be happy, being a kept man while she works?" Anthony asked.
"Well, um…here is part two of the secret." Colin stated, scratching his head. "A publisher wants to publish my journal from my travels of Greece…and if that sells well, they will publish my journal from Italy and possibly a collaboration with Penelope about our honeymoon in Paris."
"I did not even know you wrote a journal." Anthony said.
"It was not something I shared but Pen saw it at my place one afternoon…" Colin started to say but froze when he realised what he said.
"Penelope has been at your home?" Anthony asked, placing a hand to his head. He began to pace around the room, glancing at Colin. "Please tell me you were always chaperoned."
"Um…" Colin muttered.
"Colin!" Anthony exclaimed as he continued pacing. "You are meant to be the gentleman in the family…the true romantic. Have you compromised her and this is why there was such hasty engagement?"
"Not exactly." Colin replied. Anthony glared at him, seeking clarification. "I have not taken her virginity. And the engagement was hasty because I did not want to have to court her across the seasons. I have already wasted enough time in denial about my feelings…in fact, the reason she was at my apartment was because I was advising her on how to get a husband. And it was actually you, Kate and Daff that got mother to agree to a short engagement."
"I suppose I cannot judge." Anthony said, as he stopped pacing and turned to Colin.
"Because of your past as a rake?" Colin asked.
"That…and because I bedded Kate before the wedding…before we were engaged actually." Anthony replied, the panic spreading across his face as he saw Colin's jaw drop open. "And this is another secret."
"Of course." Colin nodded. "So um, where you still engaged to Edwina when this happened?"
"Of course not!" Anthony exclaimed. "It was um, actually the night the wedding was called off."
"Anthony!" Colin scoffed.
"It was not my finest moment but sometimes love can make you do the unexpected." Anthony replied. There was a moment of silence. Finally, Anthony spoke again. "Are you pushing against this house so much because Penelope prefers Bedford Square and Bloomsbury?"
"Yes." Colin replied.
"I will see what I can do." Anthony replied. "However, I will be looking for a house; the apartment will not work long term."
"Thank you, brother." Colin replied.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Penelope gently knocked at Colin's front door; the hood of her cape covering her face and hair, just in case anyone saw her going into his home unchaperoned. She waited for the door to open, expecting to find Colin's butler but the door opened, revealing Colin.
Her eyes widened; she did not get a chance to speak as Colin pulled her in the door, his fingers already unclasping her cloak. "Where is Banks?" She asked as her cloak fell to the floor.
"I gave him the evening off." Colin replied, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulled her close into him. "I thought we may need the privacy." He was already eyeing her exposed neck before he began a trail of kisses on her neck.
"And what if I did not visit?" Penelope asked, tilting her head, giving him better access.
"Then I would be a very lonely man." Colin replied, between kisses. "But you did visit and now I am a very happy man." He stopped kissing her neck and looked in her eyes. He removed one hand from her waist and brought it to her face, his fingers, twirling a stray curl. "Do you want to go to the bedroom?"
Penelope gave a nervous laugh. She had an idea what was on Colin's mind when he had pleaded for her to visit but now, she was here, it seemed very real. "Um…okay." She muttered.
Colin smiled, he could sense her nerves and uneasiness. He gently stroked her cheek. "Come on…we will go into the drawing room and read." He began to lead her into his drawing room; their room.
"What? No!" Penelope protested, pulling him back. Colin looked at her; his eyes questioning her. "I want to go to your bedroom."
"Pen, I just want to be alone with you…I do not want you feel pressured or obligated." Colin replied. "I could happily spend the evening on the sofa, reading with you."
"I know you could." Penelope replied, stepping into him. "But I trust you Colin…I know you will not hurt me and you will not make me do anything I do not want to do." She stretched onto her tiptoes and began a soft trail of kisses and nibbles along his jawline as her hands gripped his waist for support. "Now, take me to your bedroom."
Colin did not need to be told twice; he placed his hands on her backside and lifted her up. Penelope instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck as her lips hungrily crashed against his as he carried her into the bedroom.
He softly sat her on the bed; their lips never breaking contact. Penelope's fingers gripped his waist, pulling his shirt out of his breeches before her finger slipped under the shirt, feeling the warmth of his skin.
Colin pulled away from her momentarily to remove the shirt above his head. Penelope paused; taking in the sight before her; his chest and abdomen was perfectly toned. She stretched her hand out, letting her fingers trail across his body towards the perfectly formed 'V' leading to his manhood, still in his breeches.
Colin moved towards her, leaning into her; his hand gently grazing her chin as he began a trail of soft kisses along her lips, then her jawline, and her throat; before resting on her collarbone as his other hand teased at her bodice, letting her dress slide off her shoulders; exposing her breasts.
Now it was his turn to pause. "God Pen! You truly are magnificent." He sighed before he took one breast in his mouth. Penelope groaned and dug her fingernails into his back as she arched her body to give him better access to the other breast.
She could feel a fire building between her thighs as he moved between both breasts; she bit her bottom lip to stop herself from screaming. However, as one of his hands moved towards her leg and began to slid up her thigh, under her dress, she could not help but gasp. "Oh Colin."
He looked up at her and smiled. He motioned her to lie back in the bed and she did. He gave her a quick kiss on the lips and then moved down her body, nudging her legs apart. He pulled up her dress and began to kiss her inner thighs.
"Colin!" She gasped again, her thighs beginning to quiver but he continued with the kisses, edging her closer to her warmth before his tongue entered her; taking her by surprise.
Her hands gripped the sheet of his bed as she felt his tongue within her; her hips naturally tipping up as her legs rested on his shoulders. She could feel the fire within her beginning to rage. She felt like she was about to explode. She moved one hand onto her own breast, pinching the nipple; hoping for a release but the fire was becoming more intense within her. Finally, her whole body began to quiver and she moaned, a new sensation rippling through her.
She could feel Colin's tongue exit her as he looked up at her, a smile on his face. He climbed up the bed and leaned over her and kissed her. Penelope could taste herself in his mouth.
He pulled away, his finger gently stroking her cheek. "Was that okay?" He asked.
"That was…" She began to laugh, unable to find the words. "It was…wow! However, I do feel I should repay the favour."
He smiled and gave her a quick kiss. "Do not worry about me…you will have plenty of opportunities." He said.
He lay down on the bed on his side and pulled Penelope into him, manoeuvring her onto her side, in a spooning position. She could feel his hardened manhood pressing against her back. He gently kissed her shoulder; his arms resting under her still exposed breasts.
She could feel Colin staring ahead and then she caught sight of the mirror, a few feet away, reflecting their image; her image. She automatically tried to pull her dress up, covering her breasts but Colin brushed her hand away.
"Do not dare." He warned and spun her around to face him. He gently brushed a stray curl back off her forehead as he looked her in the eyes; her face and chest still a pink blush. "Someday, in the near future; we will be in front of that mirror and I will make love to you and you will see how beautiful you are."
She cuddled into his chest; feeling secure in his arms. She placed a soft kiss on his chest; feeling his heart beat. "I wish we could stay like this." She sighed.
She felt Colin press a soft kiss on top of her head as his fingers traced up and down her back. "I wish we could too but I fear we have about 10, maybe 15 more minutes before I need to get you back home." Colin replied.
"10 minutes?" Penelope queried, looking up at Colin with a devilish glint in her eyes. "I am sure there is something I could do for you in 10 minutes." Her hands moved down his body, towards his breeches, hovering over his hardened manhood.
Colin laughed nervously and brushed her hands away and gave her a quick kiss. "I fear after tonight's activities you would only need one touch and I would be spent and we would be left with an awful mess on your dress." He softly said; cuddling into her again. "Having you in my arms is more than enough for me right now because I know in one week you will be with me every day and night for the rest of my life."
Penelope kissed his chest and buried herself in him, content listening to his beating heart, wrapped in his arms.
"I love you Pen." She heard him softly whisper in her ear.
"I love you too." She whispered back, raising her head to give him a quick kiss, before cuddling back into him.
To be continued…if you want me to!
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