Nothing Happened

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It was three months after Colin's first proposal to Penelope that he realized she was right, and she deserved something better than an in-the-moment, post-sex popping of the question. They hadn't told anyone that they were engaged yet, but obviously Colin's siblings figured out very quickly that they were dating. It was at one of the Bridgerton family dinners that the speculations were proven right as Colin kissed Penelope on the lips in front of them. All at once, a series of cheers and boos fell across the table, and a slapping of money between siblings hands was exchanged.

"What's with the money?" Penelope asked Hyacinth who sat on the other side of her.

"Come on," Hyacinth said, grinning as she leafed through her dollar bills. "You didn't think we wouldn't bet on you and Colin, did you?"

"It's like you don't know us at all, Penelope," Benedict said, pretending to be hurt, but actually sounding it as he had lost the pot. His wife, Sophie, shook her head at her husband's mopy behavior, then placed his hand on her round stomach as it always seemed to comfort him. Benedict instantly lit up again.

"You bet on when we would get together?!" Colin asked, a little outraged. Penelope squeezed his hand under the table and he calmed down.

"Oh, don't act so high and mighty, Colin," Anthony complained. "If I recall, you two were both rather involved in getting some of us together. Annoying little self-proclaimed cupids, you two are," Anthony grumbled.

Penelope couldn't help but smile. She loved knowing she did something to help the people she loved find love. "So far, ten out of ten success rate," she boasted, rubbing a hand on Colin's knee, which Hyacinth noticed and proceeded to scrunch her nose in disgust.

They were, in fact, quite the team when it came to matchmaking. At least with Colin's siblings. With Daphne, Colin was the one who actually pushed his sister into Simon, starting their whirlwind romance. Penelope definitely put pen to paper to keep her out of the clutches of Nigel Berbrooke. Gross. With Benedict, Sophie was actually an old family friend of Penelope's and she told Colin she thought she and Benedict would hit it off, so they arranged for them to be at Benedict's art showing on the same night. With Eloise, Penelope also introduced Thea to Eloise, as she and Thea attended a journalism class together. And Anthony, well, Colin was rather proud of that one. He was the one to lock his oldest brother, and the woman he was now married to, in a closet together to quote, "bang it out".

"Thank you, by the way," Kate said, nuzzling into her husband's side. "This one might have never grown the balls if you didn't." Everyone laughed as Anthony made a noise of disagreement, also calming when she placed his hand on her less pronounced baby bump.

Penelope's family wasn't quite so accepting of the match. Meaning, they didn't even believe that someone like Colin could ever love Penelope. Colin was not happy about this, and very badly wanted to tell them that they did not have to attend the "imaginary wedding" if that's how they felt. Penelope talked him out of it.

Penelope was the one who actually asked if they could hold off on telling people. With Eloise newly engaged, Benedict and Sophie having their first baby, and Kate and Anthony just on their second, she didn't want to steal anyone's spotlight. While Colin didn't necessarily agree, because with eight siblings, someone was always bound to be pregnant or engaged, he was looking forward to an opportunity for a do over. This was when he asked Penelope to go with him on his next trip to Greece. His boss asked him to try a few new restaurants there, and Colin could think of no better place to repropose. He wanted to start things off with Penelope right.

"Are you sure? Wouldn't I just be a distraction to your work?" Penelope asked when Colin suggested it.

Colin scoffed at the idea. "You're not a distraction, Pen." She gave him a knowing look. They had literally just got caught up having sex in the middle of him making dinner. "Alright, but I like it when you distract me. Please come. I really want you there," he begged.

"I do have some time off before my next project at work..." Penelope reasoned.

"Exactly! It's perfect! Everything is going to be perfect!" Colin exclaimed, a little too excitedly.

"Colin, are you planning on murdering me in Greece or eloping there?" Penelope asked skeptically.

Colin shrugged, trying to reign in his excitement. "Can't it be both? Gotta collect your life insurance."

Penelope sighed. "I should have gotten a prenup."

"Or I could just hold you hostage and use you as an ATM," Colin joked tickling her sides.

Penelope bit her lip and gave a seductive grin. "I do love when you use me."

Colin choked on his own saliva, thanking his lucky stars that they granted him this woman. "I think you're going to kill me before we even get on the plane at this point," he said darkly, already hardening again and leaning into her neck.

At this, Penelope laughed, and after they went for round two (or whatever it was, they tended to lose count) she agreed to go on the trip with him. Once they stepped foot on Grecian soil, Colin knew that this was the most romantic country in the world. Forget France, forget Italy. This was the perfect place to propose. Penelope actually though the same, but didn't say anything.

The entire first two days of the trip, Penelope noticed that Colin was acting strange. Granted, she'd never traveled with him before, but she'd never seen him so...anxious. He couldn't seem to sit still, he was scarfing down his food like an animal-actually, that was just Colin. But still, it was strange! On the third night at dinner, when the sun was setting outside of the restaurant they were dining in, Penelope noticed a glimmer in Colin's eyes. He suddenly asked her if she wanted to go for a walk along the beach, and she agreed, thinking maybe he just needed some air. Or more likely wanted to have sex.

"Colin, I'm not getting arrested in another country for having sex on the beach," Penelope scolded.

"I love where your mind is at, love, but that's not why I brought you here." Colin motioned to a small secluded area of the beach with a nice blanket that was lit up with candles and had wine waiting for them. The view of the sun setting over the ocean was absolutely breathtaking. And Penelope's breath hitched again when she turned back to the blanket and saw Colin, down on one knee, holding a little black box.

"Colin, what is all of this?" She gasped.

"You're right, Pen. You deserve something that's more us. You deserve so much more than no ring and a half-assed proposal after I ate you out in my childhood bed." Penelope blushed at the memory. "You deserve grandeure. You deserve sweeping and epic romance. You deserve everything, love. And I will always give it to you. Penelope Anne Featherington, for the second time, will you make me the happiest man ever and marry me?"

Obviously, she said yes. They also had sex on that beach, and yes, were sent to jail in Greece. That was an awkward phone call to make to his family. At least they would have an interesting story to tell everyone about their proposal.