Chapter Text
Penelope felt panicked. She could feel her heartbeat on every inch of her skin and heard it pounding in her ears. Her cheeks were heated with anxiety and her breath was quick and shallow. She was aimlessly walking through the Bridgerton home, getting agitated by the sound of the ball still going on downstairs. Penelope could only imagine what they were saying- after Cressida proposed the idea that she was Lady Whistledown… What if she knows? What if she has proof? Startled by the sound of footsteps quickly moving up the stairs behind her, Penelope swung open the first door to her right and ducked into the room.
When Cressida spoke her accusation, Penelope thought she could never feel worse than in that exact moment. She had felt like she had swallowed a brick, her stomach heavy and swirling with anxiety, her palms sweating and her face reddening to the same shade as her hair. It was awful, it was the most awful she had ever felt- until she hurriedly ducked into Colin Bridgerton’s bedroom.
She quickly closed the door behind her, and had about 3 seconds to take in the scene in front of her. Colin stood on the opposite side of the room, his back facing Penelope, his breeches sagged around his knees. One arm against the wall, supporting him, the other in front of him, quickly repeating the same motion over and over. When Penelope slammed the door closed, he looked over his shoulder. Blue eyes widened in shock and cheeks flushed crimson.
‘’Penelope!’’ He called out and quickly made himself presentable.
This was the most horrified Penelope had ever felt. She was sure her cheeks had reddened to a shade no fabric had been made in and based on the feeling in her gut she was sure she would be sick.
‘’Colin..’’ She stammered out. ‘’Mr. Bridgerton! I’m so sorry.’’ She said, and while she told herself to get out of the room, her body proved unresponsive.
Colin turned around to face her, his breeches pulled up, but his waistcoat lay draped over the chair to his left and his shirt was almost completely unbuttoned and not tucked in.
‘’What… What are you doing here?’’ He asked. His eyes dark with something Penelope couldn’t quite place. Penelope wanted to speak, but couldn’t. She couldn’t help but admire Colin in the dishevelled state he was in. His unbuttoned shirt giving away so much of his carved chest, accented by the dark, curly hair covering it. The buttons are opened until just above his navel, and Penelope found herself wishing she could undo the rest.
‘’Penelope,’’ Colin said, forcing Penelope to rip her eyes from his chest and meet his gaze. ‘’Did you come for me?’’ He asks, his voice low and sultry.
Penelope’s world felt off its axis. So many years she’s spent dreaming of Colin, loving him from a distance, desiring him. Now that he was in front of her, more exposed than she’d ever seen him. She wanted to tell him everything. How she’s loved him for so long, fantasized about him, even touched herself in places a young lady should not even think about besides her monthlies- all for him. But her vocal chords betrayed her, and her lips stayed sealed.
Colin could still feel his heartbeat in his cock. He had been so close to his climax when the door had flung open and shut, and out of everyone, Penelope had to be the one to appear in his room. Penelope Featherington, his friend for many years, and a lady who managed to radiate both innocence and temptation at the same time. Every time Colin laid eyes on the young lady, he was torn between wanting to carefully discover every bare inch of her, and wanting to shield her from all the carnal things he, and other gentlemen of the ton, were thinking.
When he’d seen her standing in his room, he was tempted to throw his breeches aside and keep going. Involve her. Ask her to touch him, it wouldn’t matter where. Her eyes roaming his body already sent sparks across his skin, let alone her hands on him- he might lose it.
Colin could see the conflict in Penelope’s eyes, and in the colour of her cheeks and the way her lips had parted slightly in shock. She looked like she wasn’t sure if she should leave or stay, and Colin would be no help in settling that manner. As badly as he wanted to invite her to undress with him, he couldn’t do that to Penelope. A young lady still on the marriage mart, he couldn’t ruin her already frangible reputation. No matter how much he wanted to. Especially watching Penelope closely, her breathing heavy and the top of her breasts nearly spilling over her emerald coloured dress as she panted.
‘’What were you doing?’’ Penelope asks, her voice quiet and full of intrigue. Colin tears his eyes from her décolleté.
‘’What I was doing,’’ Colin repeats, giving himself some extra time to consider his answer. ‘’I cannot share with a lady such as yourself.’’ He says. Penelope frowns slightly.
‘’Why?’’ She continues.
Why, Penelope always had to know why and how. Colin couldn’t possibly tell her what he was doing. That he had gotten so aroused from the dance they had shared tonight, he had no other choice but to retreat to his room and stroke himself until he could recompose himself. That he had been about to finish, thinking about Penelope’s lips on his own, and on some of his other places, when she had barged in.
‘’Because,’’ Colin says, a hint of desperation in his voice he hoped Penelope wouldn’t pick up on. His cock was still hard in his breeches, but the room they were in was lit by a mere four candles, so Penelope hadn’t spotted it yet. ‘’because it is simply unheard of to discuss what I was doing with a lady. Penelope, please.’’ He said.
‘’Please, what?’’ Penelope retorted. But Colin wasn’t sure what he was asking for, either.
Penelope could feel the redness on her cheeks spread to her ears when she asked. Normally, she would never harass Colin with questions like these; but right now, in this dimly lit room, there was some sort of tension in the air. It seemed to fuel Penelope with a courage she had never felt before, and it made her want to stand up to Colin, let them talk on the same level for once, instead of him shielding her from his inner thoughts.
‘’Please don’t ask me again.’’ Colin said, his voice still low but more quiet this time, like he could barely string the words together. Penelope took a step forward. Colin straightened himself, like he was ready to defend himself.
‘’What were you doing, Colin?’’ Penelope asked again, despite Colins request. The static in the air was prickling her skin, giving her goosebumps without needing a chill. It made her want to take off her gloves and put on a coat at the same time. She felt exhilarated.
Colin took a step forward, matching Penelope’s brashness. They were now a mere three steps apart, Colin having to look down slightly to look Penelope in her eyes, and looking right into her dress. Penelope’s sudden assertiveness sent chills down his spine and made him want to put her in her place. He spoke before he even realized what he said:
‘’I was touching myself, Penelope.’’
Penelope’s eyes widened and her lips parted like she was about to speak, but no sound followed. Her lack of words made Colin want to fill the silence, and his mouth seemed to be working without his brain.
‘’I was touching myself, pleasuring myself, as a result of the devilish dress you are wearing tonight.’’ Colin said, and he felt his cheeks rosy again, not entirely sure what he’s doing. Penelope looked down to inspect herself, and he instinctively leaned forward to tilt her chin up with his index finger.
‘’Our dance… Having you in my arms and having your hands on my body. It does something to me, Pen. You do something to me.’’ Colin whispers. Unconsciously, he had moved even closer to the woman in front of him, all of her within his reach. She remained still.
‘’Say something,’’ Colin whispered, desperate to hear her voice. Hear her say she thinks of him in the same way, feels the same way, wants him the same way.
‘’Colin,’’ She says, and Penelope saying his name made him feel bubbly in his stomach. She said it so quietly, but her voice full of desire. ‘’We’re you thinking of me?’’ She then asks, and Colin smiles.
‘’I find myself thinking of you more often than not.’’ He says.
‘’But when you were… touching yourself?’’ Penelope then asks. Colin opens his eyes and looks down at Penelope. Her bright blue eyes stare up at him, hopeful with a hint of desperation.
‘’Yes,’’ Colin admits. ‘’I was thinking of you.’’
‘’What exactly?’’ Penelope asks. Her stomach is turning at the possible answers Colin might give, and she’s not sure if its out of nerves or excitement.
Maybe both. She wants to know exactly what was on Colin' s mind, so she may replicate it. The man in front of her is the only thing she’s wanted for the last couple of years, and suddenly, in his barely lit bedroom, he is within her reach.
Colin swallows the last of his dignity and puts his hand on Penelope’s cheek, and she lets him.
‘’I was imagining what you might look like underneath your gown,’’ He whispers as he traces his fingers across her cheek and drags his thumb over her lips. Penelope closes her eyes to his touch.
‘’How I would undress you slowly, make sure to kiss every inch of skin that is bared to me. And how badly I want to remove your corset and chemise, and see your beautiful breasts in all their glory. I want to touch them. I imagined cupping you and watching as they spill out between my fingers. I want to kiss you on your breasts, Penelope. I want to feel you not only with my hands but my lips, everywhere.’’ Colin says, the hand that’s not on Penelope’s face palming his cock through his breeches. Penelope opens her eyes when Colin pauses.
‘’May I touch you like that, Pen?’’ He asks.
Penelope feels a jab in her stomach, the feeling rolls down into her abdomen and to her center, and she wants Colin to do all the things he’s saying. But before she can even think about it, her mouth speaks.
‘’No,’’ She whispers. ‘’You can’t touch me.’’ Colin jerks his hand back in surprise, completely shocked at how he’s read the situation.
Of course Penelope doesn’t want this- she is a lady, a well-bred and properly raised lady looking for marriage, and Colin has shown no intention of a proposal.
But then Penelope grabs his hand.
‘’You can’t touch me,’’ She whispers, and then again.
‘’You can’t touch me.’’
And then she does the unthinkable; the guides Colins hand back down to his breeches, and presses their hands into his aching member. Then Penelope looks up at him, and Colin is unsure how he’s lasted so many years without ravaging her. Her eyes are full of passion and desire and desperation.
They both know the rules to this game very well. A gentleman and a lady shall not have relations unless they are married or soon to be. Penelope knows Colin well enough to know he is not ready for marriage, but she also can’t deny the heat pooling between her legs, and her excitement at being the one Colin imagines when he pleasures himself.
A part of Colin feels shy and hesitant to touch himself in front of Penelope, but the other part, the biggest part, wants to start stroking himself immediately.
Colin drags his hands upwards, until he feels the buttons of his shirt, and starts slowly undoing them, making sure to keep his eyes locked on Penelope. Partly because he can’t bear to see how shaky his hands must be. Penelope’s eyes follow his hands and their movement exactly. She watches with rosy cheeks and her lips slightly parted, as if she’s ready to take him into her mouth, and Colin musters all the strength he has not to ask her to get on her knees right there.
He lets his shirt slide off his shoulders and begins undoing his breeches. Penelope thinks he is moving way too slow, the knot in her stomach tightening by the second, but Colin seems to be enjoying taking his time. He loosens his breeches and drops them to his ankles.
Penelope’s eyes widen at the sight in front of her. She has learned a little about male anatomy from the books she’s read, but It was always vague and practical. Very objective and descriptive, with no hint of feeling or passion. But the way her body reacted to seeing Colin naked in front of her, was all but vague. She felt the immediate urge to reach out and touch him, see what it would make him do, but she restricted herself. It’s not like she’d know how to handle his sex, anyway. But it also sent sparks through her body, from her abdomen to her center, and made her want to lift her dress and chemise and touch herself in her most secret place. Colin moaned at the sight of Penelope aweing him.
‘’Colin…’’ Penelope whispered. ‘’Touch it.’’ She then said.
She didn’t say it like a demand, but Colin treated it like one anyway. He immediately wrapped his hand around himself and slowly started pumping up and down. The tip of his cock was already glistening with his own excitement and the familiar tightening in his abdomen came way too soon- almost immediately after he took a hold of himself. He quickly let go. Penelope looked worried.
‘’Why did you stop? Does it not feel good?’’ She hurriedly asks.
‘’It feels too good,’’ Colin murmurs in response. ‘’I don’t want this to be over so soon.’’ He says.
Penelope looked at him confusedly, but Colin couldn’t bear to explain the concept of his orgasm to her. Luckily Penelope asked:
‘’Can I do anything?’’
And Colin had to bite down on his lip to keep himself from saying all the things he wanted. She could let him take her innocence, be the very first man to enter her. He wanted to feel her tightness around him, he wanted to bury himself in her and rest in peace inside of her for the rest of his days. He wanted to take her from behind, primal and animalistic, so he could take a proper look at her luscious derriere. He wanted to fill her, with all of him, with his cock and with his seed, until he would be empty and she would be a mess in his arms. He wanted to watch her as she undresses for him, slowly, teasing him, every inch of her skin being like the sun, terrible to look directly into but so hard to tear your eyes away from.
Penelope was the sun, and Colin was ready to burn for her.
‘’I want to see you,’’ He eventually said. ‘’Naked.’’ He added.
Penelope stiffened at his words, but Colin proceeded.
‘’It doesn’t have to be all of you, right away, but… I want to see you, any part of you.’’ He said and grabbed Penelope’s chin again. ‘’Please.’’ He whispered, but the word didn’t come out as a question. It came out as a desperate demand.
Penelope stepped back, letting Colin' s hand drop from her chin. She looked at her dress and took a deep breath. ‘’Like this?’’ She asked as she slowly slid her right sleeve down her arm, taking her glove off with it. Colin' s mind ran wild, just at the sight of her bare shoulder. He instinctively took hold of his cock again, and all he could do was nod.
Penelope slid her other sleeve down her arm, and her shoulders were completely exposed. Colin never thought he could be so hard at the sight of someone’s shoulders. But here he was, throbbing in his own hand, watching Penelope Featherington reveal herself to him.
Then, Penelope pulled down the neckline of her dress to her waist, and Colin laid his eyes on her in her corset. The corset was plain and white, with no extravagant embroidery. But his cock twitched in his hand at the sight of it. Penelope’s breasts, large as they were, could barely be contained by the garment. Her chest was spilling over the edge of the corset, practically begging for Colin to free her and hold her. The things he would give right now to feel her softness in his hands.
Penelope pulled at the strings on her back to loosen the corset slightly, causing it to sag down a little and expose more of her curves to Colin, who bit his lip and leaned forward. One of his hands was vigorously stroking his member, while he held the other one to his back.
‘’You can’t touch me.’’ Penelope reiterated. Colin groaned but nodded. Then Penelope put her hands on her breasts and shimmied the corset out from under them, Colins jaw dropped. ‘’’Let me touch you.’’ He immediately said, but Penelope shook her head. Colin frowned, but listened.
Penelope was a goddess. The corset fell down without the pressure of her breasts keeping it up, and Colin was astonished by the sight in front of him. Penelope’s breasts were perfect: full and round, and Penelope’s petite hands covering them made them look even larger, her breasts spilling over her hands at the sides. Penelope took another deep breath and then squeezed herself, rounding her breasts out more and driving Colin to the brink of insanity.
‘’Oh, Pen,’’ He moaned. ‘’You are gorgeous.’’ He said as he wrapped his fingers tighter around his cock.
He was praying to every god in the universe to stave off his climax, but with Penelope’s bare breasts in front of him, and his own hand quickly pumping himself, he could explode any second. He made sure to twist his hand so that his fingers stroked across his tip to spread his arousal across himself, causing his movements to make a delicious, wet sound. Penelope’s eyes followed the movement of his hands, and her own hands were fondling her breasts gently. One of her hands slid down and uncovered herself, her thumb and index finger reaching for her nipple and softly rolling it between her digits. Penelope let out the faintest moan and Colin groaned loudly at the sight.
‘’Goodness, Pen, you look delicious,’’ He said. He stepped closer to Penelope and turned his body slightly, then he slid his arm around her waist and pulled her against him.
‘’Colin!’’ Penelope gasped.
‘’No touching, I know, but I need to feel you.’’ Colin grunted.
He felt every inch of her against him, she was pressed into his side so that he still had the space to stroke himself. He could feel her breasts pressing into his torso and wanted nothing more than to grab her and squeeze her and lick her, but he kept his hand steady on her waist. His breath started coming out irregularly and it became difficult to keep his stroking in a steady rhythm. He looked down, at Penelope’s breasts pressed between them, their fullness and how soft she felt against his naked body and then it came. The feeling was like a thunderstorm. First, a tingle in his abdomen, that grew into a deep rumble that shot from his stomach down to his cock. Then, lightning, his muscles tightening and all his nerve endings electrifying at the exact same time, his orgasm crashes through his body, his balls convulsing from the sheer force of his climax, and his seed spilling out from him, over his hand and the carpet below him without mercy. And as fast as the lightning has struck, it’s over. His muscles relax and his cock twitches once more in his hand before softening. Colin sighs deeply and bends over to grab his shirt, and wipes his hand on it.
‘’Penelope,’’ He whispers as he looks at her.
Her eyes are wide and her bottom lip is red from her biting it. He puts one hand on her cheek again and gently makes her look him in his eyes.
‘’That was wonderful, Pen.’’ Colin whispers.
‘’Did it hurt?’’ Penelope asks. Colin shakes his head.
‘’No, that was one of the most pleasant feelings I’ve ever experienced.’’ He murmurs. He leans forward and presses his lips onto Penelope’s forehead.
‘’We should talk, Pen.’’ He says quietly. ‘’But first I need some food.’’