Chapter Text
The doorbell went off one more time and Penelope quickly turned off the stove and rushed out to the hallway, checking herself in the full length mirror and giving her hair one last fluff before rushing to the door. Sliding her hands down over her body to smooth down her dress, she took a deep breath and pulled the door open. On the other side of the door stood Colin Bridgerton, leaning against the doorframe, looking his usual suave self, a large bouquet of flowers in hand. Eyes landing on Penelope, he swallowed hard, the flowers he was holding falling from his grip ever so slightly before he caught them. Clearing his throat, he handed the flowers to Penelope as she stepped aside to let him in.
“Happy anniversary baby.” Breathed Colin as he nudged the door shut with his foot. His eyes raked over Penelope’s body, his mind going completely blank as his eyes lingered on her chest. Penelope coughed a polite cough and Colin forced his eyes away from her chest, giving her a sheepish smile as he leaned down and pressed a light kiss to her lips.
Taking the flowers from his hand, Penelope gave them a long sniff before turning her attention back to Colin, raising her eyebrow at the fact that he was openly ogling her again.
“We’ve been married exactly three years and we’ve been together for four and yet, you’re still staring at me like you’re about to pounce on me.”
Gently taking the flowers from her hand, Colin set them aside on the sideboard as he kicked off his shoes. Circling his arms around his wife, he pulled her into himself, the lower half of their bodies pressing together. Hands trailing up from her waist, Colin rested his hand on her hip while the other cupped her face, stroking the apple of her cheek.
“I was going to be a gentleman. I was going to come home, hand you the flowers, give you a chaste kiss as I wished you a happy anniversary and then I was going to help you with your special dinner. Only once we were fed and watered would I take you to bed. But you… You Penelope Bridgerton always have to find a way to derail my plan.” He punctuated his statement by squeezing her waist, pulling her further into himself.
Shivers ran down Penelope’s body, understanding exactly what he was trying to say.
“How… How have I derailed your plans?” Penelope asked coyly.
“You can’t wear a dress like that and expect me not to take you to bed right away?”
Letting her go, Colin stepped back a little, his eyes racking over her body once more. Penelope shifted her weight from one foot to the other, heat licking up and down her spine under his appreciative perusal. Penelope knew she looked good. The ribbed fabric of her grey, bodycon skims dress did wonders for her body, accentuating every dip and curve. She’d chosen to leave her hair completely natural and flowing down her back because that’s how Colin liked it and had opted to keep it completely minimal with her jewellery, wearing only a pair of long dangly earrings and her wedding and engagement rings. Penelope had toyed between putting on a necklace and forgoing it and had ended up deciding to not bother. Her neckline was low and she was showing ample cleavage and she just knew there was no way her husband was going to leave her neck or her breasts alone.
“I guess you like the dress.” Penelope finally said, trying to stop her face from burning up under his appreciative stare.
“It’s incredible but baby, you know you can never wear that out. This view of you, this is for me only. You go out in that dress, with your breasts looking that good, you’ll have men flocking to you and you know I don’t deal well with other men looking at my wife.”
Giggling, Penelope nodded, knowing full well his words meant nothing because he would definitely tell her to wear this dress again on one of their future date nights. He loved playing the possessive, caveman husband, but they both knew he loved showing her off as much as she liked showing him off.
“Dinners almost ready if you’re hungry.”
“I am hungry, but not for dinner Pen.”
Before she could respond to that, Colin scooped her up bridal style and began walking towards their bedroom. Penelope squealed as Colin stepped around their packed boxes and carried on the short walk down the hallway to their bedroom.
Their flat was a mess, boxes and boxes of stuff everywhere because they were packing to move into their new house. Their forever home. After almost three and a half years of living in their two bedroom flat, they were finally moving into their dream home, the home where, hopefully, they would start growing their family. The house hunting process had been long and gruelling. They had seen multiple houses and had almost given up hope that they would actually find the house of their dreams and then, completely out of the blue, they finally found it. Now they were just waiting on a few final details before they could finally get their keys and move in.
Reaching their bedroom, Colin nudged the door open with his foot, not bothering to shut it again as he dropped his wife onto the bed. Penelope landed with a little bounce, giggling as she watched Colin hastily pull off his clothes. Without taking her eyes off him, she made light work of her earrings, taking them off and toss them onto the bedside table before getting onto her knees and crawling to the edge of the bed. Colin had barely got his jeans down his legs when she grabbed him by the waistband of his briefs and pulled him towards herself. Her looked down at her, taking in her dark eyes and grinned as he laced his fingers into her hair.
Penelope stroked his length through his underwear, not at all surprised that he was already hard for her. It was crazy, they had only shared a gentle kiss, and yet he was already rock solid and her own panties were uncomfortably damp. How was it, even after three years of marriage and almost four years of sleeping together, they still wanted each other as much as they had done that very first time. She leaned closer, her hands going around him and taking hold of his ass as her lips ghosted over his bare stomach. She pressed the gentlest of kisses to his abs, rising up on her knees as she kissed her way up his body, letting her lips linger on his nipple before carrying on up to his chest. Her fingers tangled into his chest hair as her lips finally found his.
Wrapping her arms around him, Penelope’s kiss caught him off guard, her lips hard and incessant against his, teeth nipping at his bottom lip, coaxing his lips apart as her tongue tangled with his. Colin leaned into her, his hands all over her body, coming to rest on her firm ass, squeezing and making her gasp. She scooted closer, feeling his hard cock against her stomach.
Breaking the kiss for air, Colin look down at her, taking in her swollen lips and her mussed hair.
“Are you ovulating?” Colin asked.
Penelope shook her head, her lips ghosting over his once more as her hand slid down his body, palming him over his underwear.
“I’m just really, really horny.”
Before he could reply, she slid down his body again, her hands finding the waistband of his briefs and pulling them down just enough to free his manhood. She kissed her way down his body, her hands stroking and caressing as she went until one hand took a firm grip of his length and she gave it a light tug. Colin laced his fingers into her hair again, gathering it into a ponytail as he watched her mouth get closer and closer to where he was aching. Finally reaching her destination, Penelope kissed his tip, before licking away the precum that had leaked out.
“Do you remember the first time I did this?” She mused, looking up at him from under her lashes.
Colin nodded, his hand tightening in his hair. Of course he remembered the first time she’d sucked him off. When they’d started dating, she’d told him she was unsure about giving head, being honest about the fact that she felt slightly terrified by it. Colin had reassured her that she didn’t have to do anything she didn’t want, that he didn’t mind if she didn’t want to do it. But on their wedding night, exactly three years ago, his bride had surprised him by using his wedding tie to tie his hands together as she went down on him. And good god, Colin still remembered how hard it had been to not lose control and spill down her throat within the first minute. For a woman who had never performed oral sex before, and while it had been completely clear that she was nervous as hell, Penelope had blown his mind, had him on edge from the moment she closed her warm mouth around him. In the years since, Penelope had become something of a pro at going down on him and she thrived on having him under her mercy.
“Of course I remember. I’ll never be able to forget.”
Smiling, she placed another playful kiss to the tip and Colin bit down on his lip to stop from groaning.
“You were so gentle, barely moving.”
“I wanted you to feel safe.” He was struggling to speak with the way her hot breath felt on his aching cock.
“Mmm… Always a gentleman.”
“I try my best.”
“I don’t want a gentleman tonight though.”
“Pen… Oh fuck.”
Colin couldn’t finish what he was saying, because she’d taking him into her mouth. One hand took ahold of his thigh to keep her anchored to him and she used the other to work the length of him that she couldn’t take into her mouth. Pulling back slightly, she moved back in again and thus began her ministration, working his length with her hand and mouth. Colin tried to keep a loose grip on her hair, but he could feel himself getting close and his hand tightened in her hair, his hips moving on their own accord, pushing further into her mouth, testing her boundaries.
She released him with a pop, breathing hard, her eyes shining with tears.
“Stop holding back baby.”
“Penelope…”
“I want you to fuck my mouth. I want you to use me.”
“I…”
“I trust you Colin.”
Swallowing hard, Colin nodded, his eyes fixed on her as she looked up at him. Still holding her hair, he pressed his fingers into the back of her head, guiding her head as his hips thrust shallowly at first but with her trusting eyes fixed on his, he let go of the last of his control, thrusting into her mouth hard and fast. Her gag reflex was being tested to the limit but Penelope kept a firm hold on Colin, urging him to keep going. He could tell he was almost there, his thrusts getting messy, his fingers tight in her hair in an attempt to keep ahold of himself, but when she reached down and fondled his balls, he felt his entire being tighten up and then he was coming hard, down her throat. Penelope took it, swallowing down each shot of his release, her entire body humming with desire and glee that she could undo her husband like this.
Holding her head to him, Colin lazily carried on thrusting into her mouth as he carried on spilling and only withdrew once he was done. He ran his thumb across Penelope’s lips, wiping away the saliva and cum that had dribbled out of her mouth. She was looking up at him with a dazed smile, her entire body flushed and he hadn’t even touched her yet.
“You knew you were going to suck my cock before dinner didn’t you?”
“How did you come to that conclusion?” Penelope asked, wiping her lips herself as she sat back on her heels, batting her eyelashes.
“You didn’t put any lipstick on.”
Shrugging playfully, Penelope leaned back on her hands, pushing her breasts forward, a flirty look on her face.
“Are you going to stand there and think about why I didn’t put lipstick on, or are you going to return the favour?”
Grinning almost menacingly, Colin pushed his underpants all the down his legs and stepped out of them before throwing himself onto their bed, grabbing hold of her waist and pinning her down onto the bed.
“Oh, I am definitely going to be returning the favour baby.”
Without missing a beat, Colin pushed Penelope’s dress up. He wanted to take it off, needed his wife naked underneath him, but at the same time, he didn’t want to waste even a moment undressing her. Pushing the dress until it was up around her hips, he made light work of her panties and threw them over his shoulder. Grabbing hold of her thighs, he pushed them apart, opening her up to himself. Penelope pushed herself up onto her elbows as she watched him, taking in the way he brought his nose to her slit, making her moan as her eyes fell shut. Using his fingers, he opened her up to himself and pushed a finger in. Her head fell back at how easily he was able to breach her body, how ready she was for him.
“Good god Pen, does sucking me off make you this wet?”
“Yes.” She replied breathlessly, as he curled his fingers inside her.
“Three years of marriage and you’re still this needy for me?”
“I’ll always be needy for you.” Penelope panted as he gently thrust his fingers, practically knuckles deep inside her. “I’ll always want you. Always.”
Colin moved over her, his fingers curling and thrusting as his lips found hers in a hungry, heated kiss. Their tongues duelled for dominance, teeth gently biting down, lips sucking lips. It was messy and passionate and needy. Colin’s free hand moved over Penelope’s body, squeezing and stroking, pushing her dress even higher, exposing her stomach. When they finally broke apart for air, Colin began his descend down her body, kissing every inch of skin that he passed, spending an excessively long amount of time on her chest, kissing and nipping on the swells of her breasts.
Lacing her fingers into his hair, Penelope held him close to herself, struggling to breathe because of the way his fingers were working her up.
“I have only ever wanted you Colin.” Penelope moaned as he moved lower down her body. “It will always only ever be you.”
“For me too baby, always you.”
He’s dropped down to between her legs, his mouth ghosting over where she was weeping for him. He withdrew his fingers and Penelope mewled in protest, needing him to carry on. Before she could get too distressed though, Colin replaced his fingers with his mouth. Her back arched off the bed, his undulated tongue spearing into her, his nose slotting against her clit, bumping it just right. Colin was unrelating, his lips and tongue working overtime, hitting every spot that he knew would set her on fire. She writhed against him, her hips lifting and pressing against his face. Throwing one arm over her stomach, he pinned her down to the bed as he used the other hand to thrust his fingers inside her. He curled his fingers the way he knew would set her off and wrapped his lips around her clit and sucked. Despite being held down, Penelope’s entire body lifted off the bed, crying as she felt her climax building and building. It was within touching distance, her vision already starting to blur and then it happened. Explosions behind her eyelids, a strangled cry leaving her as her muscles spasmed and pulsated around his fingers. She was twitching beneath him, trying to close her legs, but he kept lapping at her, enjoying the taste of her.
“Colin please, Colin…”
He pulled away from her marginally and looked up.
“What is it baby?” His voice was low and gruff, laced with desire, lust and need.
“I need you to fuck me.” Penelope panted. “I need you inside me. I need it hard and fast.” She practically cried. “Please Colin.”
Never one to deny his wife, Colin delivered a light slap down there which had her entire body clenching up and tingling. Moving off her properly, Colin shifted Penelope up the bed and then gestured for her to sit up slightly. With a dazed brain, Penelope complied and Colin made light work of her dress, throwing it aside. His eyes fixed on the strapless bra doing its best to hold her breasts and hastily undid that too, throwing it aside. He had to pause a moment as he took in her glorious breasts, so big and round and perfect. Colin had never thought himself a boob man, but since Penelope, he knew without a shadow of a doubt, he was a boob man for Penelope only. Noticing him staring, Penelope cocked her eyebrow at him before laying back against the pillows, her hands sweeping down her own body, pressing her breasts together.
“Stop staring and fuck me, Mr Bridgerton.”
“Penelope…”
“I want you to fuck me the way you did on our wedding night.”
Colin’s eyes darkened, his cock stiffened and his mouth went dry. Their wedding night had, hands down, been the hottest sex they’d ever had. For the weeks before their wedding, Penelope had told him that they wouldn’t sleep together. So even though they were sharing a bed, for three whole weeks, sex was completely off the table. When they’d finally retired to the honeymoon suite after their reception, with as much patience Colin could muster, he helped her out of her wedding dress. Unfortunately, her delicate bridal lingerie had not made it. He had thrown his bride onto the bed and pound into her like an animal starved. Penelope had been equally needy, her nails scraping up and down his back as her legs had been locked firmly around him, keeping him close to herself as she’d rolled her hips in time with his.
Looking at her now, her fingers playing with her nipples, her legs spread ever so slightly so he could see her glistening, Colin threw himself onto the bed and pulled Penelope down onto it, making her squeal as he pushed her legs apart, his fingers diving back inside her. She was still so sensitive, her entire body jolting the moment he touched her. He worked her up with his fingers, his lips wrapped around her perfect nipple, sucking like his life depended on it. Penelope writhed and mewled against him, her body shaking with need.
“Colin please. I need you inside me. Please.”
She was practically begging as she panted out her request. And as much as Colin would have loved to play with her and keep her on edge longer, it was their anniversary and he didn’t want to be cruel. Sitting up, he moved onto his knees as he pulled her even close to himself again, his thumb running along her slit even though he knew she was more than ready for him. Her eyes were saucers as she watched him stoke himself, taking the moisture from between her legs to lubricate himself. Just as she opened her mouth to ask him again, he pulled one of her legs onto his shoulders and he held the other, opening her up to him. Perhaps in another life Penelope would feel unbelievably shy to be in such a vulnerable position, to be so open for her husband, but she couldn’t find it in herself to care in the slightest. This was her husband, the love of her life, the man who knew her body as intimately as she knew her own. She belonged to him. Every fibre of her being belonged to him and she knew he felt the same way about her.
Taking ahold of his cock, Colin brought it to her entrance, slapping it once, twice, against her, making her moan and gasp. And then, without wasting another moment, he slid home in one swift motion, facing absolutely no resistance at all. Penelope’s back arched off the bed, her eyes wide as she gasped and panted, the stretch still so delicious as it had been for the first time all those years ago. His thrusts started slow and shallow, keeping his eyes locked on hers. But it quickly became obvious she meant what she said about wanting to be fucked because her fingers clawed into his arms, rolling her hips urgently, urging him to go on. With a nod, Colin picked up the pace, rolling and thrusting faster, harder. Penelope’s quiet pleas got louder, her “pleases” becoming “yeses.” Leaning forward, Colin needed to grab onto something to keep himself anchored. He grabbed for her breast, squeezing hard as he kept pounding into her, the headboard beginning to knock against the wall. They both got louder, their moans, gasps and grunts bouncing off the walls. She was close, Colin could feel it, could feel the way that her muscles were tightening and clenching around him. Placing one hand on her stomach, he worked in and out of her, hard and fast, enjoying the way her body rippled each time he buried himself to the hilt.
“One day,” Colin began his thrusts beginning to get sloppy as he felt his own orgasm building. “When I cum inside you, our baby is going to take root inside you.”
“Yes…” Penelope moaned, her head falling back as she struggled to keep ahold of him, opting to curl her fingers into the sheets by her side.
“D’you want that Pen, my baby inside you?”
“Yes, yes!”
Was it weird that mention of a baby is what pushed Colin over the edge? Perhaps. Colin couldn’t remember when I happened for the first time, but the thought of Penelope being round with their baby inside her always set him alight. He came, hard, rope after rope of his release leaving him and filling her tight channel. Lowering his hand to between them, Colin fondled with her her clit and seconds later, Penelope’s entire body went ridged as she arched her back, coming with a cry. With a few last gentle and shallow thrusts, Colin slumped over Penelope as he slowly pulled out, a mixture of their release leaking out of her. Gathering what he could, Colin pushed it back inside her, a shit eating grin on his face when it didn’t come back out again.
Getting comfortable, Colin gathered Penelope into his arms as he pulled the covers around them, tucking them into their bed. They were both still breathing hard as Penelope burrowed herself into Colin’s chest, her lips coasting over his neck and chest. They gave themselves a few moment to just lie there, basking in the afterglow of the most incredible sex they’d had that week.
“Pen?”
“Hm?” Penelope replied, not looking up.
“I’m so in love with you.”
This did cause Penelope to look up, and she grinned, her already flushed cheeks flushing further.
“I’m so in love with you too.”
“Three years of marriage baby, and I’m still so fucking obsessed with you.”
Giggling, Penelope lay Colin onto his back and moved over his, resting her read on his chest as her leg draped over his.
“Obsessed with me or obsessed with fucking me?”
“Both. I’m obsessed with you, but you know fucking you is without a doubt, my favourite hobby.”
Giggling. Penelope shook her head, her fingers tangling into his chest hair.
“Good, because I feel exactly the same way.”
“Oh yeah?” Colin asked, an eyebrow raised, a cheeky grin on his face. “You like being ripped apart by my thick co-“
Before Colin could finish though, his phone went off from somewhere in their room. Furrowing his brows, he lifted his head to have a look around but then slumped back down, shaking his head.
“Aren’t you going to answer it?” Penelope asked.
Colin shook his head, his fingers trialing up and down her back.
“Everyone important knows it’s our anniversary. The family are aware, work are aware, everyone knows this is our time and that they shouldn’t be bothering us this evening.”
Nodding, Penelope smiled as she settled against him once more. He was right, everyone knew that they were not to be disturbed.
“Should we get cleaned up and have dinner?” Penelope questioned when Colin’s phone finally went silent.
“We should, because I just knew you’ve spent all evening cooking my favourites, but I really would rather stay in bed with you. Maybe I can eat you out again.”
Laughing, Penelope shook her head as she brushed her hair out of her face. He was right, she had spent the better part of the evening cooking his favourite foods. Penelope wasn’t the cook in their relationship, that was very much Colin’s role. But for special occasions such as his birthday and their anniversary, she tried her best to cook his favourites for him.
“Oh shit! I nearly forget to give you your present!” Colin exclaimed as he leaned over to his bedside table.
“I thought we said we weren’t going to do presents this year.” Penelope replied as she moved off him slightly so that he could move with ease.
Colin and Penelope had decided earlier in the month that they wouldn’t give each other presents this year because they had wanted to put all their money and effort into the new house. But of course, neither of them had actually listened to the other. Penelope’s present to Colin was waiting on the dining table and his was apparently in his bedside drawer. Pulling out a card, Colin handed it to Penelope as he gathered her back into his arms. She gave him an exasperated smile as she opened the envelope, curious as to what was waiting for her within. Just as she went to take the card out, Colin’s phone began ringing again.
“Oh good lord, who is hounding me?” Colin grumbled still not moving to answer the phone.
Taking the card out, Penelope smiled at the adorable image of two teddy bears clinking their glasses together and celebrating their anniversary. As she opened up the card, a piece of paper fell out. Picking it up, she opened it and read the contents of it, her mouth falling open.
“Colin Bridgerton!”
“Happy anniversary baby.”
“Colin this…” Penelope stuttered, shaking her head.
What Penelope held in her hand was the booking confirmation for three nights in Rome in an all inclusive five star resort and villa.
“Colin! This is far too much! We said we weren’t going to do presents at all and this…”
“I know, I know, but we haven’t had even a weekend away in months, not since the house buying process started and we need a break. And it’s only for the weekend…”
“I know it’s only for the weekend but it’s expensive.”
“Baby,” Colin started as he cupped her face. “We have the money, you know that. It’s not like we’re breaking the bank. And besides, you’ve been saying it forever that you want us to go back to our honeymoon resort. So let’s finally do it. I checked our calendar, we both have a little time off during the week I booked.”
Shoulders dropping, Penelope nodded in agreement. Colin was right, realistically, they had more than enough money, it wasn’t a huge deal and she really did want to go back to the paradise where they’d spent their first few weeks as newly weds.
“Thank you Colin, this is incredible.”
“You’re welcome baby. But I mean, it’s not really a present for you, it’s for the both of us. Private villa with a private pool, it means I get to see you in skimpy bikinis all day. Sounds like a present more for me.”
Throwing her head back with laughter, Penelope slapped his chest as they got cosy once more. They both knew that they should get up and eat, but they really didn’t want to. It was in that moment that Colin’s phone went off for the millionth time. Penelope gave him a pointed look, beginning to get frustrated with the ringing but also because if he just answered it, it would stop. Colin though was still adamant that he was not going to take a phone call. The phone stopped ringing And the telltale ping to let him know he’d received a voicemail sounded. Just as Penelope opened her mouth to tell him to just check who was calling, her own phone started buzzing. Unlike Colin, Penelope had no intention of playing hard to get so reached out for it and checked who was calling. Alice Mondrich? Colin began to protest, ready to tell Penelope to not answer but she simply slapped her hand over his mouth and took the call.
“Hey Alice.”
“Penelope, hi! You answered. I was worried you weren’t going to because I know it’s your anniversary but…”
“It’s alright, is everything okay Alice?”
As much as Penelope loved chatting with Alice, a long time family friend and now her literary agent, now wasn’t the time for a friendly chat. She just wanted to know what was going on so she could put the phone down and get back to her husband.
“Everything’s fine, it’s just Will’s been trying to get hold of Colin. Is he with you right now?”
With eyebrows furrowed, Penelope looked over at Colin. He raised an eyebrow at her, curious as to what was going on.
“Yeah, he’s with me right now. What’s going on?”
Alice was just beginning to respond when Penelope heard Will in the background. She wasn’t sure he said, but Alice replied with “I’ve got Penelope on the phone and Colin’s with her.” There was another muffled response from Will and then he was closer, asking Alice something though Penelope still couldn’t make out what was being said.
“Hi Penelope.” Came Will’s voice, finally clear. “Alice has passed me the phone over. How’s your anniversary going?”
“Hi Will. It’s going great. Is everything alright?”
“Everything is… Well, technically yes. But I really need to speak to that husband on yours. Can you put me on speaker?”
“Sure.”
Pulling her phone away from her ear, Penelope put it on speakerphone and held it between herself and Colin.
“You’re on speaker now Will.”
“Thanks Penelope, you’re a star. Now. Colin Bridgerton. Why haven’t you been answering your phone you asshole?”
“It’s my anniversary, asshole. I told you I was going to be unreachable.”
“And I told you I might have news for you so you needed to keep your phone nearby. You know I wouldn’t have been blowing up your phone on your anniversary if it wasn’t important.”
Colin felt a little sheepish as Penelope glared at him. Will was an old friend, someone who had been a part of his life for a long time and he knew it was wrong of him to have not checked his phone when Will had expressly told him that he needed to be reachable at all times at the moment. Aside from being an old family friend and friend, Will Mondrich was also Colin’s agent.
“I’m sorry Will. I was an idiot. What’s going on?”
Will sighed and Colin knew his friend was less pissed with him than he had been a few moments ago.
“I just got a call from a contact at Universal. Don’t ask me for names or their role, because I can’t tell you, but he told me that he’s heard you’re pretty much a sure thing for the lead role in ‘Romancing Mr Mayfair.’ It’s just a matter of them finalising finalising the shortlist of actors and calling them back once more, but they are already pretty much certain the role is yours.”
Colin’s jaw dropped at the news and Penelope clapped her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide in delight. As it happened, ‘Romancing Mr Mayfair’ was actually a book Penelope had written, her debut novel in fact, and was loosely based on hers and Colin’s love story but set in the Regency era. When the book went viral the previous summer, almost a year after being published, Penelope was suddenly inundated with offers from prospective companies wanting to adapt her book into either a show or a movie. With a very talented team behind her, Penelope had ended up securing a deal with Universal studios for the book to be adapted into a film and when an open casting call went out, Colin, an up and coming actor, had thought it would be funny to try and bag the role of the lead character that was based on him. Never in his wildest dreams had Colin thought that he would make the shortlist let alone be the front runner.
“I… I can’t believe it Will. Are you being serious right now?”
“Like I said, it’s not 100% confirmed, but I trust my source and he usually does know what’s going on so I’m inclined to believe him. We’ll have to wait and see what happens, but it’s looking good mate. This could be the big break that we were waiting for.”
“I’m… I’m genuinely speechless, I can’t believe this is happening.”
“Well believe it brother, and celebrate your success. Even if this does fall through, you’ve made a huge impact so if not this, something else will come your way. Anyway, that’s all I needed to tell you for now. Please keep your phone nearby so if I hear anything more, I can let you know. I’m going to let you both go and enjoy the rest of your anniversary.”
“Thanks Will. And again, I’m sorry for not getting your call earlier.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. Have fun you two! But not too much fun and remember to be safe. Unless you don’t want to.”
Colin and Penelope laughed, saying their goodbyes as they disconnected the call. Handing the phone back to Penelope, Colin shook his head as he flopped back down onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Putting her phone aside, Penelope lay down, resting her head on his chest as she rubbed circles on his stomach.
“Congratulations baby! You’re about to make your big break.”
“I still can’t believe it. You know I only did that audition because I thought it would be funny. I never thought… This is huge! Insane! And it’s to play a role in your film… I can’t believe…”
Smiling, Penelope pulled him close to herself and kissed his chest.
“You deserve this Colin. This is what you’ve been working towards. This is your dream! Believe it and be excited baby! This is the start of a new chapter for you.”
For years Colin was content with travelling and being a travel journalist. It took him all over the place and he was content with his career. He still couldn’t quite remember how it had happened but a modelling gig to help out Edwina, his sister in laws sister and Penelope friend, had resulted in a casting director approaching Colin because he’d felt he would be perfect for the role in an extra on a show he was working on. Three episodes on that show gave Colin a taste of acting and he found himself to really enjoy it, so with Penelope’s support and encouragement, he’d decided to try his hand at acting. After his role as an extra, he officially brought Will on as his agent and he booked a recurring role on a show that was cancelled after a season. After that, he’d landed himself the lead role on an indie film. The film performed moderately at the box office, but Colin’s performance had been praised by the general public and the critics. Since then, he’d auditioned for a few roles, but nothing had really worked out so Colin had gone back to his freelance travel journalism work but this… If he secured this role, it would have the potential to change the entire trajectory of his life. Not just his, but Penelope’s too. If this worked out, their entire lives would change and Colin wasn’t sure if he was ready for that.
Penelope could tell that a million different thoughts were running through Colin’s head, so she moved over him, straddling him as she ran her fingers along his face.
“Be excited baby, I am. This is a good thing! This is going to be incredible for both of us. I can just feel it.”
Nodding, Colin placed his hands on Penelope’s hips as he pulled her down towards himself, his lips finding hers as his hips rolled against hers. They knew they really needed to get out of bed and have dinner, but they just had another reason to celebrate so there was no way they were getting out of bed just yet.
A new beginning was within reach and both Penelope and Colin just knew that their lives were about to change forever.