The Blossoming of Penelope Featherington | A BRIDGERTON Fanfic

Chapter 17

"What-" Penelope could only utter after a few seconds. She could still feel the heat of his lips on hers. It was almost feathery of a kiss compared to what Colin must have already experienced but she was already out of breath. It was like her stomach, lungs, and heart had exchanged places, adding to the confusion of the moment. "Why- Colin what was that?"

She bit her lower lip softly as his eyes wandered from that to her eyes. There was a wolfish glint in them that made her knees weak. "A kiss," he said.

"I- but-" She inhaled deeply and shakily. She took a few moments to gather her thoughts and enough to look at him pointedly for his sarcastic answer. "I- I know what it was. But why?"

"Do I really need to spell that out for you?" he repeated her words. When she didn't answer, he sighed. "Because I had to."

She backed away, slightly affronted. "T-to shut me up?"

His eyes grew wide at her remark. "No Penelope!" He started shaking his head as if trying to rid her of such thoughts. "I had to because...because-"

"Because?"

He was breathing a little heavily. "Because I couldn't not kiss you."

"I- I don't understand," she said. Why would he want to kiss her? Over and over again he called her his friend and never showed otherwise. And as far as she knew, friends do not kiss one another. How could his mind change so quickly and go unnoticed by her who had watched him constantly for the past six years.

"Woman! You're making this so incredibly hard." He had his hand on his forehead, looking like he was just a push away from pulling all his hair out. "Heaven save me," he muttered frustratedly.

She crossed her arms at his reaction. "Well no need to shout at me and include religion in the conversation." She thought it was a sensible question and quite necessary to elaborate the situation. She didn't want a lack of clarity to get her hopes up.

"Penelope, you are driving me to my wit's end," he said slowly to make a point.

She almost pouted, feeling a bit like a kid being scolded by an elder. "And you are driving me to mine." She looked away and whispered, "I'm simply saying that I don't understand..."

He was quiet for a while, then, pulled her chin to look back and saw that he was only a few inches away from her. "Penelope." his other hand circled her waist. "What don't you understand about this?" He kissed her again. He pulled her lower lip with his teeth, which took her by surprise and made her let out a gasp. But the sound she gave sounded foreign to her ears. Hot air mingled in the almost nonexistent space between them as his tongue made its way from her lips to inside her mouth. She didn't know what to do, nor could she think about what to do so she stood there, grasping his shoulders for support, taking everything he gave her- everything she didn't know she wished for.

Then he pulled her even closer, one of his hands held the back of her head, while the other travelled from her waist to her hips to her- She let out a squeal that was silenced by his mouth. She could feel something hard pressing against her below, and she felt parts of her throbbing, barely keeping herself upright. "What don't you understand by this, Penelope? This is what you're making me feel," he said huskily as his lips travelled to her jaw and to her ear. "You have made me this way."

"M-me?" she sighed out as he kissed down her neck while grabbing at her derriere. She couldn't comprehend what was happening but all she could think was that she wanted more. The more he gave her, the hungrier she felt, but she could only hold him tighter, sinking her nails on his shoulder and arm.

Then his teeth grazed the crook of her neck as he whispered, "I want you." He went back to her lips, stealing the moans that were forcing themselves out of her. He leaned her against the wall without his hands leaving her. "You have no bloody clue how much." He pulled back a bit, leaning his forehead against hers, breathing just as heavily as her. "So Penelope please," his eyes looked desperate as they shifted between her eyes and her lips. "For the sake of all that is still good in this world, say yes," he begged.