This Kiss – Faith Hill
I don't want another heartbreak
I don't need another turn to cry
I don't want to learn the hard way
Baby hello, oh no, good bye
But you got me like a rocket
Shooting straight across the sky
It's the way you love me
It's a feeling like this
It's centrifugal motion
It's perpetual bliss
It's that pivotal moment
It's (ah) impossible
This kiss, this kiss … unstoppable … this kiss, this kiss
Cinderella said to Snow White
How does love get so off course
All I wanted was a white knight
With a good heart, soft touch, fast horse
Ride me off into the sunset
Baby, I'm forever yours
It's the way you love me
It's a feeling like this
It's centrifugal motion
It's perpetual bliss
It's that pivotal moment
It's (ah) unthinkable
This kiss, this kiss … Unsinkable … this kiss, this kiss
You can kiss me in the moonlight
On the rooftop under the sky …(oh)
You can kiss me with the windows open
While the rain comes blowing inside (oh)
Kiss me in sweet slow motion … let's let everything slide
You got me floating, you got me flying
It's the way you love me
It's a feeling like this
It's centrifugal motion
It's perpetual bliss
It's that pivotal moment
It's (ah) subliminal
This kiss, this kiss … it's criminal … this kiss, this kiss
It's the way you love me baby
It's the way you love me darling
It's the way you love me
It's a feeling like this
It's centrifugal motion
It's perpetual bliss
It's that pivotal moment
It's (ah) subliminal
This kiss, this kiss …It's criminal … this kiss, this kiss
He needed to see Penelope. Staring out the window at the Featherington house was simply not enough, especially since she had not ventured from it since the Hawkins ball. It was only when he spotted her maid an idea formed.
It had taken some convincing as well as a bribe to get the maid to help him get a moment alone with Penelope. The last thing he wanted was for Lady Featherington to be interfering and answering for her daughter instead of letting Pen speak for herself. So Rae seemed a much better option.
"What are you doing here?" He wondered if he would ever get used to not seeing her in yellow.
He glanced over at the maid who hesitated before leaving them alone. "I bribed her to give us a moment alone. I had to see how you were." It had been driving him mad not seeing her, especially when he had been used to seeing her almost daily.
"You read Whistledown." It tore at his heart to see her so unhappy.
"She is beastly to write such things about you." If he ever found out who the mystery writer was, he would destroy her. She was no better than the spiteful women at the Hawkins ball. Several of which had the audacity to shove their daughters in his direction the day after the ball. As if he would ignore their horrible behaviour towards his friend.
"It is her job to report what everyone is talking about. It would have been suspicious if she had not." How could Pen defend Whistledown? "In truth, I brought this on myself. A sad, stupid girl who believed she might possibly have a chance of love."
"You must not say such things." She deserved every chance of love. And the last thing she was stupid.
"Colin…Could I ask you something." If it would wipe the tortured look from her lovely face, she could ask him anything.
"Of course." Something told him he should have heard the question before agreeing.
"Would … would you kiss me?" He had not been expecting her to ask that. She was his friend.
"Penelope." He had no wish to cause her more pain by hurting her feelings. But he couldn't kiss his friend. Could he?
"It would not have to mean anything." That could not be further from the truth. "And I would never expect anything from you because of it, but I am nearly on the shelf and I have never been kissed and I am not certain I ever will be." He was certain that some gentleman would see what a catch she was. It was still difficult for him to see her as a spinster. "I could die tomorrow…"
"You are not going to die tomorrow." Where was all of this coming from?
"But I could, and it would kill me." Now she was making no sense whatsoever.
"But you would already be dead." He tried to joke, but she was too worked up to find anything amusing. And if he thought about it, neither did he.
"I do not wish to die without ever having been kissed." He was certain she would outlive him at this stage. " Please." Oh God. How was he supposed to deny her one little kiss when she looked at him like that? "Colin."
Moving slowly towards her so that she could still change her mind, he reached out to tilt her face up to his. He briefly marvelled at how soft her skin was. Brushing her lips with his, he realised instantly this was definitely not going to mean nothing.
Pulling back slightly he searched her blue eyes which put the colour of the ocean to shame. He was kissing his friend. More surprising was he never wanted to stop. Moving back he kissed her again but this time with the desire he had not known he felt for her. If he had known kissing Penelope Featherington would be like this, he would have kissed her years ago.
When they came up for air he waited for her to look up at him. Instead she simply said "Thank you" and raced back into the house. It was like having a bucket of ice water thrown on him.
He did not want to be thanked. It had hardly been a hardship. Truthfully had not expected the pull she had on him. He found her attractive, but in a friend way. Didn't he? He had never been so confused.
Standing stunned by his discovery in the Featherington garden, he finally gathered himself together and headed home before anyone found him. After all there was enough whispering about Penelope going on. No need to feed the gossips.