Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Brother, you are finally here” said Benedict, closing the door behind his younger brother.

“Hi, sorry I'm late, there was a lot of traffic,” said Colin, putting a gift bag on the counter.

"It's ok, Col” responded Anthony sitting on the couch talking with Michael and John “Greg is not here yet, he called and said he was running late too”

The doorbell rang and Ben said “That must be him” Gregory enter carrying a couple bottles of vodka and shouting:

“It is party time! Let´s get Ant married!” and looking around added “Wait, where are the strippers we talked about”

“What strippers?” asked Anthony looking at Benedict sternly.

"It's nothing brother, don't worry” Ben said putting the bottles in the fridge.

“I am already worrying, Kate and I agreed we would have calmed bachelor parties, nothing too big”

Colin laughed and said “Please Ant, do you really think the girls do not have any strippers? Hyacinth planned Kate's party, for sure there are at least one for each”

Anthony groaned and refilled his glass.

Half an hour later Ben received a notification on his phone and went to open the door saying “Attention, gentleman, we have a special guest with us nothing”

The door opened and the most gorgeous woman Colin ever saw entered wearing a short emerald dress that made her red hair glow. She was wearing high heels but he could see that she was no taller than five feet and had the most beautiful blue eyes on the planet.

“Hi” she said ´fuck, even her voice was perfect´ he thought “I am Petra, but you can call me P” she gave Ben her bag and started walking towards Colin “I think you must be the groom…” but before he could say a word she avoided him and continued towards Anthony who was standing behind Colin. He relaxed a bit, but it didn't last long, because when he saw P approach his brother, something inside him shuddered, his stomach turned and his throat went dry. “Heard you are a very lucky man, your brother has talked very good about you, so I think you deserve a last night of freedom and fun, what do you think?” without giving Anthony any time to respond she pushed him against the couch and straddled him. Music played in the background and she started caressing his shoulders, moving her hips over him causing Anthony to fall silent.

The rest of the men stood around watching the little redhead give the older Bridgerton a lapdance. Gregory and Michael sat on either side of Anthony, while Ben and Colin watched from across the couch, all delighted with her moves.

P took Anthony's hands and placed them on her breasts moving to the rhythm of the music, suddenly she stood up and began to dance around the couch, making everyone follow her with their eyes, dazzled by her beauty, attracting them like a siren attracts sailors. She continued her way until she reached Colin and turning her back on him she said "Would you be so kind as to help me with the zipper sir?" she said with mischief in her voice, Colin couldn't talk so he just unzipped her dress nodding.

She let the dress drop to her feet revealing a set of red lingerie that did very little to cover her, she turned around so Colin could see the beauty that her breasts were, so full and big that he had to resist the urge to touch them. Petra suddenly dropped to her knees and Colin got nervous, ´what is she doing? Wait, is she actually going to do this? Is this part of the package?´ but then he saw her grabbing her dress and throwing it over her head to fall over Anthony's lap and continued dancing, passing in front of Gregory she took his face making it level with hers and watched as she whispered in his brother's ear making the young Bridgerton blush, she then went to John where she got on all fours and with her back to him danced giving him what was surely the best view in the universe, seeing her round ass jiggling when she twerked must have been glorious 'damn John' he thought. Walking over to Michael who took her hand and twirled her around making P blush and turned back to Anthony who hadn't dared to touch the dress that was still on his lap.

She straddled him once again and said “This is the last song sweetie, are you sure you do not want to enjoy it?” bringing his face to her boobs, he sinked right in, gaining a round of applause from everyone except Colin, who was furious that his brother was kissing another woman's breasts when he was about to get married, but being honest, what made Colin angry the most it was that he wanted to be doing it.

When P was on her knees in front of him, he could not only feel lust but a spark, something he never felt before, like he could finally see through her mask, and saw her true self. He wanted to grab her and cover her so his disgusting brothers and friends could not see her, she was precious, they were not worthy of her, he was not worthy of her.

When the song ended, P stood up, grabbed her dress, twirled and bowed, getting another round of applause and praise from the men who were still enthralled by her beauty and skill. She came up to Ben and whispered something to him, he led her to his room, and Colin worried. Was she not only a stripper but a prostitute? Had Ben hired her for the night? Jealousy quickly consumed him, and before he could even think about what he was doing, he ran to his brother's room and slammed the door.

"Ahhhhh," yelled Petra, who was sitting on the bed without her clothes and covering herself with a towel. "What are you doing?"

"Oh," said Colin, absorbed by the sight. "I'm sorry, I thought..."

"What?" she said angrily. "What did you think?"

"It's just... I thought—I thought... you might need help," he said, forming the most plausible lie he could manage due to his nerves.

"Help with what?" she said.

"With... with your dress," he said. "Since you asked me for help earlier, I thought you'd need me now too."

"Oh, right, I'd forgotten about that," she said disinterestedly. "But it's not necessary, thank you. I have another change of clothes here. You can go and close the door" she said without turning to look at him.

´How is it possible that she doesn't remember I helped her with her dress?´ He definitely wouldn't forget.

Leaving the room, he ran into Benedict in the hallway coming out of the bathroom. When he saw his brother coming out of his room, he asked, "Is everything okay, Col? What were you doing in there with Penelope?"

"Penelope?" he asked.

"Oh shit," her brother said. "I shouldn't have said that. Don't tell anyone, but Petra is her stage name."

´Penelope, what a beautiful name´

"I walked in by accident," Colin said, unconvincingly.

"Of course," Ben said, not believing him.

The brothers returned to the living room where the rest of the men were talking about Petra, or rather, Penelope.

"Did you see the size of those beauties?" Gregory said. "How did they feel, Ant?" Colin hit him upside the head. "Hey! What was that?"

"You should speak with more respect. She's a lady. Don't talk about her like that," Colin said angrily, causing everyone to look at him curiously.

"Well, I'm just saying she literally stripped naked in front of us. I think she'll understand why I'm talking like that."

"Maybe, but still, it's not gentlemanly to talk about a woman like that. No matter how she's dressed or what she does, she came to work and deserves our respect, so you better behave yourself."

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"Maybe, but still, it's not gentlemanly to talk about a woman like that. No matter how she's dressed or what she does, she came to work and deserves our respect, so behave yourself." Penelope heard from the other side of the door.

She was already dressed but waited till the conversation turned to another topic before going out.

She did not know what to think, this man that entered the room abruptly and lied about helping her with her dress was now defending her from a flattery from his own brother, this was strange. Usually when she does one of these works, men jump to her, and want to touch her, but this group was different, they let her do her job and only touched her when she allowed it.

She was lucky, that's for sure. Besides being respectful, they were all attractive, especially the one who burst into the room. Of course, she remembered him helping her with her dress. How could she forget? He was the tallest of them all, with those sapphire blue eyes, that silky hair she was dying to touch, and as she knelt in front of him, she could have sworn she saw the beginning of an erection. To be honest, who can blame him? She's a bombshell. With her curves, her red hair, the best breasts in the country, and those eyes that made you get lost in them, no one can blame him for getting excited.

When the voices on the other side of the door seemed to change the subject, Penelope stepped out and found all the men seated, the tallest being the only one who could see her. He was mid-sentence when their eyes connected and she smiled. He looked her up and down, his mouth still open, and just stared at her. Benedict, seeing his brother's expression, followed his gaze and found Penelope. She had changed into a tight red top and a leather skirt that barely covered her perfect ass.

The second Bridgerton stood up and offered her something to drink, which she graciously accepted and sat down on the couch among the rest of the guests. "Do you mind if I join you?" she asked.

"Not at all," Michael replied.

The conversation continued as if nothing had happened, but Penelope could still feel Colin's sharp gaze on her. It was like a magnet pulling her toward him. It wasn't the first time she'd felt attracted to a client, and it definitely wasn't the first time a client wanted something more with her, but usually it was just the fantasy of sleeping with a stripper. The only time she slept with a client, he tried to pay her afterward. Penelope refused, explaining that it wasn't part of the job; she felt used. She believed he was attracted to her and not just Petra, so from that day on, she decided never to cross that line again.

But for some reason, this man was different. When he entered the room, he didn't make any moves on her. He defended her with his brother and now stood two meters away. He was a complete enigma.

Seeing that her glass was empty, she decided to go get some water from the kitchen. Opening the cooler, she tried to get some ice cubes, but they were so frozen they were impossible to separate, and she began to struggle with the device.

"Can I help you?" said a voice behind her.

"Oh," Pen said, turning around to find the same Bridgerton brother watching her. "Yes, thank you."

Colin approached the ice bucket and, after trying to remove some ice and finding it impossible, poured a little water inside to try to separate them. After a few seconds, the ice gave way, and Colin filled the glass with the cubes.

"There you go," he said with a gallant smile.

"Well, thank you very much. It seems you're always helping me" she said flirtatiously, and to his confused face, she added, "First the dress, and now this," she clarified.

"Ah, that, yes, well, actually I am very helpful indeed. I love to leave my company satisfied," he said, almost whispering in her ear, and leaving the kitchen.

Penelope stood motionless, holding the glass of ice in her hand. After a few seconds of catching her breath, she poured water into the glass and returned to the living room. She left an hour later.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

3 days later…

Colin couldn't keep Penelope out of his mind, he saw her in his dreams. Only three days had passed, and it felt like an eternity. At work, everything reminded him of her. He had to interview a hotel manager for an article. The girl had eyes the same shade as Penelope's, though not exactly. Penelope's eyes were larger, her pupils flooded the sky blue of her irises, her eyelashes long and defined, and the playful sparkle reflected back at her was something no one could replicate. He had to record the interview because he wasn't paying attention to any of the woman's answers.

The next day, he passed by a lingerie store, in the window there was a photo of a young woman wearing a red lingerie set. It wasn't as pretty as Penelope's, and the girl couldn't compare. She was tall, slim, and blonde, very similar to the type of women Colin had dated in the past, but none of them could compare to the beauty of the mermaid he'd seen at his brother's bachelor party. None with those curves to get lost in like a labyrinth, none with that fiery red hair that replicated the fire he felt inside when thinking about her, and none with those voluptuous breasts that he wanted to bite.

After a few days, he decided to end his misery and ask Benedict for her number. His brother hesitated at first and joked around a bit, but finally gave in and gave him her contact information.

Colin 5:15 PM
Hi Penelope, I'm Colin Bridgerton. I don't know if you remember me. I'm Benedict's brother. I met you at my other brother's bachelor party.

Penelope 11:03 PM
Hi Colin
Yes, I remember you. Sorry for answering so late, but I just left the club.
How can I help you?

Colin 11:04 PM
I hope you're not tired. If you'd prefer, we can talk later.

Penelope 11:07 PM
No, that's fine. I always have time for my clients.

Colin 11:07 PM
I don't want to be your client, I want to ask you out.
It's not like that...
I'm not interested in booking you, I just want to see you.

Penelope 11:10 PM
See me for what? Where?

Colin 11:11 PM
I'd like to get some coffee.

Penelope 11:15 PM
Just to be clear, are you sure you're not looking to book a "Girlfriend Experience"? Because I don't do that stuff, but I can connect you with some girls who do.

Colin 11:16 PM
No nonno
I just want to see you, and chat a bit, is that ok?

Penelope 11:25 PM
Yeah, it's fine
What about tomorrow at 12am I know of a place that it´s really nice, I can send you the info

Colin 11:26 PM
Yeah, that would be amazing
I am so excited to see you, I cannot wait
See you tomorrow, Pen

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Colin 11:26 PM
Yeah, that would be amazing
See you tomorrow, Pen.

´Pen´

Penelope was still holding the cotton ball covered in makeup when she received that last message. No one had ever called her that before. It was already unusual for a client—well, not a client, since he never hired her—but someone she'd danced for to just want to have coffee with her. This kind of situation had happened to her before, and it always ended with her blocking the contact for not understanding her boundaries, and on one occasion, filing a harassment complaint. But something about him was different, something gentle. His attraction to her was obvious, but he seemed to be honest, which was even stranger.

Penelope finished removing her makeup and went to shower. She ate a quick dinner, her favorite: spicy ramen, and went to sleep thinking about the next day.

The next morning she woke up at 10 a.m, exhausted from the previous night. Penelope loved working at the club, although occasionally a customer misbehaved; overall, everyone was very kind. She already had her regular customers, who always booked a private dance. The empowerment she felt dancing on stage surrounded by people watching and complimenting her, some of whom came just to see her, made her feel powerful and in control.

Despite loving her job, being a stripper wasn't her dream. Penelope wanted to be a writer; she had studied literature in college, and after graduating, she landed a permanent position at the company where she had interned during her student years, while also writing her book.

A year ago, she got a contract with a publishing house and quit her demanding and exploitative job so she could dedicate herself full-time to her book. Even so, her finances didn't allow her to stop working, and a friend said she could start dancing at the club with her. After only two months, Penelope realized that working four nights a week and doing the occasional private dance gave her a better standard of living than her nine-to-five job, so from that day on, she writes during the day and dances at night.

Two hours later, Penelope walked into the café and saw Colin sitting in one of the boots by the window. He still hadn't noticed her, and she took the opportunity to sneak a peek. He was dressed in a tight-fitting light blue shirt that perfectly showed off his arm muscles. Penelope's mind filled with images of Colin lifting her up against the wall and thrusting into her hard, and suddenly she could feel the moisture between her legs increasing. ´Shit, he´s so sexy, staying decent will be hard,´ she thought.

Colin looked up and saw her. Penelope could have sworn she saw his breath hitch. After a few seconds, he stood up and greeted her.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

'Shit, she's so beautiful, that dress is a killer,' he thought.

Penelope walked into the café like an angel fallen from heaven. Her white sundress with flowers the same blue as her eyes hugged all her curves in just the right place. But to be honest, there wasn't a single spot on Pen's body Colin wouldn't want to hug or kiss.

After catching his breath, he stood up and greeted her. Once they were seated, he said, "Thanks for agreeing to see me."

“Sure,” said Pen. “I was surprised to receive your message.”

“Oh, why?” He asked.

“Usually when a client contacts me privately, they only look for one thing, and no one uses my real name.”

“Sorry, Ben let your name slip, and since I didn't want this to be a work-related date, I thought I shouldn't use your professional name.”

“So, is this a date?” she asked flirtatiously.

“Well, yes—if you want, obviously… I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I'm sorry—I don't know if it was a good idea. I understand if you want to leave—”

“Colin, stop, it's okay,” she said, taking his hand. “You just surprised me, that's all. Because of my job, it's hard to know when an invitation is sincere. Most people just want a night with Petra.”

“Well… that's not my case. I want to know Penelope.”

Then they placed their orders and, with their coffees, went for a walk. After two blocks of lively conversation, the two fell silent, and Colin felt the sudden urge to take her hand, and before he could even think about it, he did. To his surprise, he felt Penelope's hand begin to caress his. The conversation continued, and they decided to sit in a nearby park to continue talking and eat some scones they had bought.

The conversation flowed smoothly. Colin felt as if he'd known Penelope his whole life. He told her about his future plans, how he wanted to stop traveling to put down roots and be closer to his family. Because of his job, he was traveling for months on end and could only be here for a week at a time, and when he came home, a horrible office job awaited him. He told her how he hated watching his nephews grow up so far away and missing out on those everyday milestones. He told her his dream was to open a bookstore and start writing his own travel books with all the information he'd collected over the years. He was surprised to hear that she wanted to write too, and in fact, was already doing so.

"What's your book about?" he asked the interested.

"It's a period romance that follows the story of an upper-class family and focuses on the role of women at that time, describing how it was thought that the only value they had was having children, but my protagonist wants much more than a family." She replied, and Colin couldn't help but notice the sparkle in her eyes as she talked about her book; it was clear she was passionate about it.

"So when you publish your book, are you going to keep dancing?" Colin asked, trying not to sound jealous.

"Well, my dream is to be able to make a living from books, but I find it a bit complicated. It usually takes a while to get there, so until I achieve it, yes, I'll keep dancing," she replied thoughtfully.

“You know, you are really good at it,” he said honestly.

“Oh, thank you” she said and he could really tell she was surprised about it.

“What? Aren't you used to people complimenting your dancing?”

“No, it's not that, it's just—nothing.”

“No, tell me, it's just what?”

“I'm just surprised you're taking it so well since the last person I dated didn't like me working at the club,” Penelope's eyes widened as she realized what she'd said. “It's not like we're dating, for God's sake, it's just our first date—no—”

“Hey, Pen, it's okay,” he said, taking her hand. “I'd like to go out with you. Of course, if you don't want to, I understand, but I'd like to get to know you better. You're really easy to talk to. I feel like you understand me and don't judge me. Besides, you're extraordinarily beautiful, and I'd die if I never saw you again. Not to be too over the top or anything,” he said, earning a giggle from Penelope.

“I would like that too” she said and Colin took her hand in his.

After drinking their coffees, they went for ice cream. Walking while holding Penelope's hand felt just right, as if all this time he'd been waiting for her. On the way to the ice cream shop, they passed a bookstore and stopped to look in the window, seeing her reflection in the glass Colin couldn't help but think that the day he had his own bookstore, Pen's books would have their own section right at the door so everyone could see his wife's fabulous books.

´Wife?´ he thought. ´Where did that come from? It's just our first date, Colin, pull yourself together.´

Once at the ice cream shop…

"What's your favorite flavor?" Colin asked.

"Granita cream and lemon," she said.

"Oh, c'mon Pen, that can't be true," he said, horrified.

"What? Why?" She said, laughing.

“You can't possibly like that. What about Swiss chocolate or chocolate chunks? You know, the ones that are so heavy you have to lie down after eating them?” he said, causing Penelope to laugh.

“I'm not a fan of those flavors. I prefer lighter ones. That way I can eat more, or else I'll get sick.”

“I don't think I've ever had that problem. Still, I can't believe what you're going to order. But to be honest, you had to have some flaws. You couldn´t be all perfect—pretty, smart, funny, and also a good ice cream taster? No, it was too much,” he said, kissing her cheek, causing her to blush.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Waiting at the counter for their ice cream to be prepared, Penelope couldn't help but feel simply lucky. Here she was, on a date with an incredible man—kind, polite, funny, and incredibly handsome. Talking to Colin was easy, without fear of being judged, without shame for her work and without fear of telling him her dreams. She had to resist running her fingers through his hair several times, so silky and shiny she swore it felt like a cloud.
Watching him eat his ice cream, how he sucked on the cone to keep it from melting, how he used his tongue to clean his lips of the remaining cream, Penelope wanted to taste his ice cream just to get a closer look at what his mouth would taste like at that moment. Maybe next time she'd order the same thing he did.

"Is there something on my face?" he asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"What?" She asked, not understanding.

"Is there something on my face? You are looking at me" he explained.

"Oh, no, no, you already wiped it off," she said, blushing. It seemed like Colin could read her thoughts, because he began licking his ice cream in an unnecessarily sexual way, taking long licks, molding the creamy texture, and making eye contact with her. This made Penelope feel warm and butterflies in her stomach, and a little lower down, too. So, to control herself a little, she decided to go to the bathroom and splash some water on her face. Once back at the table and finished the ice cream, Colin walked Pen to her apartment. Once at the door:

"Here we are," she said.

"That's right," he replied. They stared at each other for a few seconds, and they could have sworn the air around them grew thicker, filled with the desire that flooded them both.

"Pen, I really want to kiss you," he said, approaching her and waiting for her answer.

"Then do it," and before she could even take a breath, she felt his lips crashing against hers, stealing not only her breath but her heart. Penelope tangled her hands in his hair and realized it was indeed like touching the clouds. Colin took her by the waist and pulled her towards him, allowing Penelope to feel his growing erection against her stomach. Deepening the kiss, she opened her lips to let his tongue explore her mouth, and she let out a small moan. Colin began to lower his hands slowly until he reached her perfect ass, which he had wanted to touch for so long.

Penelope broke the kiss and without saying anything, took Colin's hand and entered the building, greeting the guard normally. She touched the elevator button, which soon arrived. The doors opened, and they entered. Still holding hands, Penelope touched the button for the third floor, and in silence they went up. After a few seconds, the doors opened, and she led them to her door, apartment "C" She searched her purse for her keys and opened the door. Once inside the apartment, Penelope dropped her purse and began kissing Colin again.

His hands on her body were as if she were being embraced by millions of stars. Colin roamed over her body, adoring it as if he wanted to record it in his memory. He made her feel more loved and desired than ever. She didn't want that feeling to ever end, and yet it did, because Colin broke the kiss and looked her dead in the eyes.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

"Pen," he said.

"Sorry," she said. "Am I going too fast? We can just talk if you want."

"No, no, I don't want that, I want this," he said, nodding his head at them. "I just want to be clear, I'm not here for Petra. This isn't a one-time thing, at least not for me. I need you to understand that and believe me."

Penelope's eyes watered. For the first time, someone saw her as more than a stripper. For the first time, someone saw her for who she was, wanted her for who she was.

"I believe you," she said finally. "And I want the same thing. I want you, Colin. And I don't want this to be a one-time thing."

That was all Colin needed to break free and let his deepest desires take control of the situation. He took Penelope and held her against the wall, kissing her. He took her legs and wrapped them around his waist, pressing his erection against her hot center.
His kisses were hungry, needy, and desperate, as if once he stopped kissing her, she would vanish, and that was something Colin couldn't allow. Moving his kisses down her neck, intending to leave marks, he began to suckle, so that the next time Penelope danced in the club, everyone would see who she belonged to. He licked a path down to her collarbone, eliciting whimpers from Penelope as she moaned his name, tugged at his hair, and scratched at his scalp with her nails.

"Colin, I need you," she said, almost pleading.

"I'm here, beautiful," he said, still holding his mouth on her neck.

"No, that's not enough. I need you inside me," she said, practically crying.

"You say where."

“My room, now."

"Lead me."

Colin put Penelope down but didn't stop kissing her. With their eyes closed, bumping into every piece of furniture in the apartment, they reached her bedroom, where Penelope threw Colin onto the bed and straddled him.

She took off her dress and revealed a lingerie set just like the one she'd worn at the party, but in white. 'Shit, this woman is gonna kill me,' he thought. Colin sat up so he could take one of her breasts in his mouth, sucking it through the fabric of her bra. At the same time, he could feel Penelope unbuttoning his jeans and reaching in to pump his painfully hard member. Unable to hold it in any longer, he grabbed her and laid her on her back, settling between her legs. Hearing Penelope's squeak, he said:

"Sorry, princess. You can ride me another time, maybe in the second round, but right now I need to fuck you like you've never been before, so, you won't be able to walk for a week, and every time you dance in the club, you'll feel me between your legs and remember this moment."

Without wasting any more time, Colin stripped off his clothes and removed Penelope's lingerie so there wasn't even an inch of fabric separating them. He began to slowly descend, kissing her neck, passing over her breasts, continuing with her abdomen, which he soaked with more kisses until he reached her dripping cunt and began to devour her.

“Colin,” she moaned. “Stop, I need you.”

“You have me, Pen.”

“No, you misunderstood me,” she said, grabbing his hair tightly so he could look her in the eyes. “If I have to wait to ride you, you’ll have to wait to eat me out. Now bring your beautiful ass over here and fuck me like you promised.”

Penelope didn't need to repeat herself, Colin quickly adjusted himself and abruptly stopped.

"A condom," he said. "Shit, I didn't bring one, do you have any?"

"Yes, but I don't want one. I have an IUD and I'm clean."

"Me too," he said.

"Then I trust you," she said, and taking him closer so she could whisper in her ear, "I want to feel every inch of your beautiful cock. I want to feel you fill me with your seed, and I want to spend the day feeling it dripping down my legs."

"Fuck," he said, almost cumming on the spot from hearing the things she whispered to him.

Colin began to enter her slowly, reveling in how her tight, soaked pussy felt around his big, hard member. Beneath him, Penelope took deep breaths to relax and let him in. Colin knew he was big and had often been a problem, and Penelope was very small, so he'd have to give her time to adjust so he wouldn't hurt her.

She had her eyes closed tightly, her hands clutching the sheets, and her mouth forming an 'O'.

"Are you okay, Pen? Am I hurting you?" Colin asked, worried.

"On the contrary," she replied. "A cock has never felt so good inside me. Fuck, I love the way you stretch me. Please, Colin, move and don't hold back."

Without even allowing himself time to consider what she had said, because if he had thought about it, he would have let himself confess that he was falling in love and couldn't tell her so quickly. So he began thrusting into her mercilessly, causing Penelope to scream with pleasure, marking his back with her nails, creating an exquisite mix of pleasure and pain that kept him right on the edge.

Taking her by the waist so he could hammer inside her, seeing her beneath him was the most erotic image he had ever seen, her fiery red hair surrounding her face like the halo of a sex angel, her breasts jigging with each thrust, and her eyes filled with lust watching him.

Changing the angle slightly, he began hitting her G-spot, causing Penelope to fall silent, her eyes closing as she tried to follow the delicious sensation. A second later, she reached her climax, squeezing Colin in an almost painful way that only made him continue harder. Encouraging him to give her another orgasm just to watch her come undone in front of him.

Without giving her time to recover from her first orgasm, Colin brought one of his hands to her clit and began massaging it with circular but strong movements. Penelope abruptly opened her eyes and, seeing what Colin was doing with his hand, shook her head.

“Colin, it’s too much,” she said between moans.

“Come on, Pen, give me another one and we’ll come together.”

“It’s just—it’s just—I can’t… I was never able to reach a second orgasm the same round, just use me.”

“Oh no, I can’t allow that,” he said, continuing with his task. “I can’t allow a girl as beautiful as you to have only one orgasm at a time. Maybe the people you were with didn’t know how to treat you, but now you’re with me, princess, and I demand at least two, if not three,” he said, causing Penelope’s eyes to open abruptly. “But don’t worry, just for today, I’ll settle for two.”

After a few minutes of exquisite pleasure, Penelope’s breathing began to rattle, making him understand that she was on the verge of orgasm.

"That's right, Penelope, come with me and I'll fill you the way you want."

Hearing his words, Penelope couldn't hold it in any longer and came harder than before, squirting, screaming his name and pulling at his hair. She felt Colin follow her, filling her with his seed, feeling the heat emanating from within her. He still didn't stop, continuing to bury his cock inside her, to accompany her until the end of her orgasm.

Colin had never come so hard before. It seemed like his orgasm lasted forever, or was it more than one? It was heavenly. He had enjoyed sex in the past, but sex with Penelope was out of this world, as if their bodies had been made for each other. He knew at that moment that it would be impossible to stay away from this siren.

He collapsed on top of Penelope, still buried inside her, and holding on to his arms so as not to crush her, he could feel Penelope clamping her legs around him to keep him from pulling out. Once conscious, he began kissing her neck, speaking words of praise, waiting for her to return from her climax.

After a few minutes, Penelope's breathing normalized, and she took him in so she could kiss him, this time slowly, without rushing. This kiss wasn't meant to stir things up; it was pure affection and gratitude, for putting her pleasure first, for making her enjoy her body in ways she never had before. In that kiss, she wanted to communicate all the things she couldn't yet tell him. She trusted that he would understand everything, and he did. Colin could feel everything reflected in the kiss. Then he rested his head on her chest, feeling it move with her breathing, and after a few minutes of delicious silence, he got up despite her complaints, went to the bathroom, and brought a wet towel to clean her up, along with a glass of water for her to drink.

Penelope was surprised; never had a sexual partner taken such good care of her after sex, not even her official partners had ever cared so much about her. Colin was definitely out of this world. The love and care with which he ran the towel over her core, knowing how sensitive and overstimulated she was, and how he made sure she drank all the water.

Then Colin returned to the bed and hugged her so she was resting on his chest.

"If this is how it's going to end every time, I'm going to start hiring strippers more often," Colin said, earning a punch in the ribs from Pen. "Oooh, just kidding, just kidding," he said, half laughing and half groaning from the pain. "You are the only stripper I want."

"You better," Penelope said, settling back down next to him and hugging him.

"Colin…"

"Hm?" he said almost-asleep.

"Do you want to stay?" She asked timidly. It was already too much for one day, a date, and sex. Most would think it was enough and they should just see each other another day, but Penelope couldn't get enough of this Prince Charming who had made her see stars more than once, in bed and before that too. Colin's eyes nearly popped out of his head. There was nothing he wanted more than to be with her for life, and he was frighteningly waiting for the moment she kicked him out and promised to call the next day. He never would have thought she'd invite him to stay, and Colin couldn't be happier or more relieved that that was the case. Looking into her eyes with more love than he could ever understand, he said:

"I would love to"

Chapter Text

Colin helped Penelope out of the car, grabbing her hand and marveling at how her cleavage looked from his perspective.

“Did you enjoy our dinner?” he asked

“Absolutly, in fact I think I ate too much” she said waiting for him to close the car door.

“Nonsense” he said “There is never too much food” and earned a giggle from Penelope.

It's been two weeks since they started dating, and Colin was sure he would never get tired of hearing her giggle, or the way her eyes widened when she read a scandalous chapter, or seeing her frown when she didn't know how to continue a scene in her own book.
To his surprise and fascination, Penelope had already confessed that the spicy scenes in her book had improved incredibly after she started dating him. This made Colin's chest swell with pride, not only for being her muse, but for knowing how happy he could make her feel.

Entering her apartment, where Colin stayed almost every night, Penelope kicked off her shoes and threw her purse onto the couch. Before she could take another step, she felt Colin take her arm and pull her towards him for a kiss. A hungry and passionate kiss that left no room for imagination.

The kisses began to travel down her neck, leaving visible marks that would later be difficult to cover up.

“Colin…” she moaned

“Yeah baby?” he asked continuing with his kisses down her neck

“I am aching” she said almost crying

“Oh, no” he said looking her in the eyes “I cannot let my beautiful Pen ache, what should we do about it?”

“Fuck me, Colin”

He growled, he loved when she talked dirty to him. There was something about the fact that during the day she looked so angelical, with those big blue eyes and those feminine, delicate dresses she wore, and then behind closed doors this sweet little kitty would bare her claws and transform into an empress that demanded to be satisfied, and he loved it.

“Actually…” he started “I think I am still hungry”

Penelope looked at him confused “Colin, you had a really big plate of beef and smashed potatoes, with french fries, and then you had waffles with ice cream, how is it possible that you are still hungry?”

“I'm hungry for you, baby. Two weeks and you still haven't understood that I'm insatiable when it comes to you?”

Without giving Penelope time to respond, he picked her up and carried her to her room, where he laid her down and undressed her, leaving her naked and panting.

Colin began to undress slowly, giving her a show that made the moisture between her legs increase. Penelope closed her legs, searching for some friction to calm her arousal, but nothing worked; only he could calm the fire she felt inside.

Once naked, he climbed on top of her, positioning himself between her legs, marveling at how her arousal spilled onto the sheets. Absorbed by the image, Colin began to eat her out mercilessly, like a desperate man in love. Penelope tangled her fingers in Colin's hair, rubbing herself against his perfect face, seeking her orgasm.

Their eyes met. Colin loved watching the blue of her eyes disappear and become flooded with the black of her pupils. He loved how her lips parted as she tried to breathe, how her nipples hardened as she became aroused. He loved sleeping against her stomach, so soft and squishy, ​​perfect to touch and worship. He loved the taste of her sweet, perfect cunt, all wet and ready for him. He loved seeing her expression when he entered her, watching her pussy stretch to let him in, and he loved how it felt when she squeezed him. Colin loved Penelope, and he couldn't ignore it, but he couldn't tell her either; not yet, it was too early. He didn't want to scare her, because he knew everything Penelope had been through in past relationships; the manipulation, the toxicity, the abuse. He knew Penelope was cautious with her heart after having been hurt so many times in the past, so he had to move carefully. No matter how much he wanted to shout that he loved her, he had to wait.

Inserting two fingers in one go, he started massaging that special spot inside her that made her squirm. Feeling how she squeezed his fingers, he knew she was close, so he speeded up and felt how she orgasmed around his fingers, drinking her arousal until the last drop.

She was panting when Colin lined up at her entrance and penetrated her, she moaned and screamed his name, grabbing him by the shoulders, bringing him close so she could drown in his kisses.

Colin began to move inside her with a precise rhythm, adjusting her waist so he could hit her G-spot with each thrust of his hips, eliciting more screams. He took one of her nipples in his mouth and began to suck, delighting in the sensation it provoked, his hands roaming her body, surely leaving marks from how tightly he held her and with his mouth he kissed her, Colin couldn't get enough of Penelope, he was genuinely insatiable for her. For his muse, his Aphrodite, his goddess from head to toe, from the inside out, there was no being in the entire universe that compared to her. Her beauty, intelligence, wit and bravery amazed him every day and had him mesmerized, completely in love.

Suddenly, he could feel that another orgasm was growing in her; he was so proud of her. The first time they slept together, she hadn't believed she could have two orgasms together. Now it was an everyday occurrence. She trusted him, knew he would take care of her and prioritize her pleasure. Yet Colin kept thinking about that third orgasm, the one he knew would drive her crazy.

Penelope's eyes flew open as she felt her second orgasm hit her, making her legs tremble and her nails dig into Colin's arms. He wasn't the only one who could leave marks. Colin had already told her that in the gym locker room, his friends and brothers had pointed out the nail marks he usually had on his back. Colin loved those marks; they were physical proof that he belonged to someone, and he wore them with pride.

“That was amazing…” she said kissing him “I want to feel you coming inside me baby”

“Not yet” he said smirking

“What?” she asked confused

“Today we are starting our third week dating…”

“So?” she said, feeling him move inside her again, and going for her clit

“So… I want a third one from you, baby”

“Colin” she moaned “I don't know if I can, two is already too much” and she started moving with him

“I don't know Pen, I think you really like those two, and I bet you´ll love this one too”

“I don't think you´ll be able to get me there before you finish” she said with mischief in her eyes

“Is that a challenge, princess?” he said, thrusting into her harder, making her roll her eyes and let out a silent, stifled cry of pleasure. Penelope was seeing stars; the overstimulation was painfully beautiful; she was sure she would die right then from the pleasure she was feeling. Wanting to win their bet, she clenched her abdominal muscles, causing Colin to collapse on top of her, moaning.

“Fuck, Pen,” he said, stilling and catching his breath. “Don’t do that.”

“Why?” she asked, faking innocence “Will that make you finish faster? I had no idea” and she did it again

“Fuck, bitch…” he said and Pen laughed “you have no idea what you are doing to me. This only makes me more determined to give you that third orgasm and teach you a lesson.”

“About what?” she asked challenging

“About not doubting your boyfriend, or even making him mad” He continued hammering into her harder than ever. He had a point to prove: when it came to her pleasure, he was an expert.

Penelope loved it when she managed to take him to his limit and turn him into the Dom Colin she loved so much. She loved it when Colin got possessive, when he looked across the room at her and undressed her with his gaze, how he followed her with his eyes wherever she went. How he waited for her every morning with breakfast ready and how he brought her a glass of water every night, knowing she woke up thirsty during the night. How he would pick her up from the club every night and walk her home to make sure she arrived safely. She loved the way his eyes darkened every time he saw her dance for a client, knowing that later that night he would be particularly unhinged. Penelope loved Colin and couldn't deny it anymore, but it scared her. Her last few relationships hadn't ended well; there was a lot of jealousy and control from her partners. No one respected her decision to work at the club, yelling at her that she was a whore for dancing for money. No one believed she would be able to write her book and that she should instead pursue something else and have a respectable job. When she met their families, they all lied about what she did. Penelope never felt ashamed of being a stripper. At the club, she found a chosen and very special family. The girls supported and cared for her every night. The security guards were always so careful and sweet with her, making sure she was safe and comfortable. But things were very different with Colin.

He seemed fascinated with her, so attentive and loving, always concerned for her well-being and happiness. Always listening to her talk about her dreams and supporting her, everything was going too good to be true, and Penelope didn't know if she deserved it. Yet, amidst all the pleasure, she couldn't help but hear that word she'd been waiting for: 'boyfriend.' They didn't have any titles yet; they had met two weeks ago and started dating pretty quickly. Their relationship seemed to be moving forward, and even though it scared her a little, another part of her was very excited. She knew Colin cared for her, but she was very nervous about taking the next step, knowing the title represented meeting his family, and just the thought of seeing his brothers again made Penelope's stomach churn. It was one thing for his family to know she was a stripper, but it was quite another to have danced for them, and especially to have one of his brothers kiss her tits.

Without realizing it, her thoughts were interrupted by her third orgasm, which left her completely speechless and numb, unable to move. Colin continued thrusting into her, causing her orgasm to continue. She squirted and could feel it triggering Colin's own, feeling his seed being released inside her, filling her, just the way she liked it.

“Oh god…” he moaned and rested his head on Pen's chest, trying to catch his breath. Once he had calmed down, he lifted his head and found himself staring back at the most beautiful pair of eyes in the universe, reflecting everything he felt. So he kissed her, slowly, sweetly, and deeply. That kiss wasn't rushed or wild; it was slow and simple, a love letter with all the words he didn't yet know how to say.

“How are you feeling, baby?” he asked concentrated

“I feel like I am floating” she said “I don't think I’ll be able to walk for a week, which is a problem because I have to go to the club in two hours”

“Don’t worry baby, I got you” he said standing up and getting a wet towel for her, next to a glass of water and started running a bath for her. He came back to bed and cleaned her up.

“Hmm… you are perfect” she said, feeling how careful he was

“You deserve just the best,” he said and kissed her again, lifting her up and carrying her to the bathroom, carefully placing her in the bubble bath he had prepared for her. “Do you need anything else?”

“Just you” she said not letting his hand go “Come with me, here” she moved to make room for him behind her

“Anything for mi princess” he said getting in the tub with her. She relaxed against his chest and rested her head on his shoulder, feeling him kissing her neck and passing the soapy sponge over her legs.

“Colin…”

“Yeah?”

“What you said before... Was it true?” she asked not looking at him

“What did I say?” he asked confused trying to look her in the eyes

“The boyfriend thing, was that real? Because if it was just because of the sex it's fine, but I need to know-”

“Pen” he said turning her so she could see his face "Of course it was true” he kissed her head “Maybe I should have made it more clear or official, but I really, really want to be your boyfriend, I want to be your everything”

Penelope's eyes watered, and she could only kiss him. "I want that too."

“You know what this means, right?” he said smiling

“What?” she said worried

“It is time for you meet my family” he said happily

“Oh god” she said and her head fell against his chest “I knew you would say that”

“Wait” he said looking her in the eyes again “You don't want to meet my family?”

“If you're referring to whether I want to see your brothers again, for whom I danced half-naked, and having to face your mother and tell her that two of her sons have already kissed my tits, well, to be honest, that's not what excites me the most.” That left Colin speechless, he had already forgotten about that part, he didn't care about her being a stripper, and he knew his family wouldn't mind either, but the part about his brothers seeing her half naked and Anthony kissing her boobs was something he did not count on.

“Right” he said “To be honest, the only thing that makes me mad, is that Ant got to be the first to taste this beauties” he said caressing her boobs

“Colin!” she laughed “I am being serious”

“Me too” he said kissing her neck

“Colin,” she said, trying to put distance between them, which was useless since he had a tight grip on her. “What are we going to say to your Mother? How will I ever be able to look your brother in the eyes again?”

“For starters, I think it would help if you didn’t take off your clothes,” he said, earning herself a punch in the stomach. “I’m kidding,” he said, half laughing and half in pain. “We’ll be fine, Pen. Just think, it’ll be a great story to tell in the future. How many people can say they fell in love with a stripper?”

“You’d be surprised, Col.”

After the bubble bath, Colin helped Penelope get ready to go to the club. It wasn't every day that Colin saw Penelope dance. The day they started dating, Colin quit his job, taking over desk duties and interviews while he wrote his first travel book. This allowed him more flexible hours to be with Penelope as much as possible.

Penelope worked at the club four nights a week, and Colin accompanied her two of those. The other two he wrote until it was time to pick her up and take her home. Tonight, Colin would stay with her during her shift. He always had mixed feelings watching her work; part of him was proud of how talented she was; no other girl compared to her. Her grace and elegance, mixed with her sensuality, made Penelope stand out among the dancers. When she danced, everyone went wild, and more than once, the security guards had to restrain the men from getting on stage. Colin isn't ashamed to admit he's had to put more than one gentleman in his place, and he'd gladly do it as many times as necessary. But at the same time, he couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Watching all those men watch his girlfriend dance half-naked—even if she was clothed, it didn't matter—in front of them made Colin's blood boil, especially when he saw someone hire her for a dance in the private rooms. Penelope had explained that these dances weren't like the ones she did at private parties. At the club, the rules were clear: customers couldn't touch the girls anywhere; they were only allowed to touch their legs and arms. And to make sure the rules were followed, there was a guard inside each private room. Colin was partly reassured knowing there was someone watching over her, but he'd rather be there himself, making sure everything was under control. More than once, Colin had booked a private dance with Penelope just so he could kiss her and let her rest for a while. His favorite part of the day was when her shift ended and he would take her home, even though he always stayed over, he would still ask her if that was what she wanted, he didn't want to take it for granted, so he always asked.

As always, she made him stay, they had dinner together, and then went to sleep. Soon, Colin began to feel at home; he already knew where everything was, the plates, glasses, where the towels were stored, and how to use the washing machine. They achieved an enviable domestic comfort, and both seemed incredulous at how comfortable they had quickly become.

A few days later, Colin informed Penelope that his mother had invited them to the Saturday brunch the entire Bridgerton family had. Apparently, his mother was very excited to finally meet the mysterious redhead who made her son smile nonstop.

Saturday arrived faster than Penelope thought, and before she knew it, she was standing in front of the door of the grand Bridgerton house—if not a mansion. Colin opened the door, which surprised her, but she quickly remembered that he still lived there. Colin used to stay at that house during his weeks off from traveling, but since they started dating, he spent most of his time at her house, and it seemed strange to see him entering another house so normally.

The butler greeted him with their usual, everyday greeting, like someone who had known each other for years, which was clearly the case. The man took their coats and showed them where to go. Several Bridgertons were already in the living room. Benedict was there, whom Penelope already knew, as he was a regular at the club. That's how they had met, and Ben had subsequently hired her for the party. There was also the younger brother, Gregory, who nearly choked when he saw her walk through the door. Colin's sisters, Hyacinth, Eloise, Francesca, and Daphne with the man who appeared to be her husband, and of course, Violet, his mother.

Colin introduced her, and everyone seemed fascinated to meet her. Benedict greeted her as if nothing strange had happened. Gregory was completely red-faced, and the sisters were very excited to meet her. Violet, especially, was ecstatic to finally put a face to this mysterious girl, who had smitten her most elusive son.

The women seized Penelope, separating her from the group to meet her, while the men took Colin and brought him to the study to chat. The murderous glare Penelope gave Colin was worth a thousand words. The only thing she'd asked him before entering was not to leave her alone, and here she was, surrounded by his mother and sisters, clearly unprepared to answer their questions, especially about how they met.

“So tell me dear” Violet said “How did you two meet?”

'Shit,' she thought, but before she could begin to think about how to tell the story, Anthony and his fiancée entered the room. Violet stood up to greet her son and future daughter-in-law, and just as Penelope's eyes met Anthony's, she felt as if her heart stopped. The group of men returned just in time for Colin to see the scene.

"Petra?" Anthony asked.

"Petra?" Violet repeated. "Who is Petra?"

Colin approached Penelope and took her hand, looked into her eyes, and nodded. Everything would be okay.

“It’s me” Penelope said

“You?” asked Eloise

“Petra is my stage name”

“Stage?” asked Daphne “What kind of show do you do?

“I dance” said Penelope turning red “I uhmmm”

Everyone in the room fell silent, waiting for Penelope to continue. Anthony, Benedict, and Gregory looked at each other nervously, and Colin, still holding her hand, gestured for her to continue.

“I’m a stripper,” she said.

Everyone’s faces turned incredulous, the men’s, not believing she’d say it, and the women’s, not believing it to be true.

“You are a stripper?” asked Hyacinth. “That’s so cool!”

Penelope relaxed a bit, seeing how calm everyone around her was. Violet’s face seemed to communicate understanding; it was clear she’d connected the dots and understood the rest of the story, but Eloise was still a little confused.

“Okay, but what does that have to do with Anthony knowing your name… wait,” she said, looking at her older brother. “Did you hire her?”

“What? No!” Ant said, "Benedict did."

Everyone turned to look at Benedict, who was trying to contain his laughter and quickly vanished.

"What?" he said defensively. "It was a surprise for his bachelor party, and I hired the best dancer I knew. It's not my fault Colin fell in love with her the moment he saw her."

Now all eyes were on Colin, who was looking at Penelope with hearts in his eyes.

"What can I say?" Colin said. "I know what I want when I see it."

Eloise made a disgusted face. "Well, there's no need to be so sloppy about her. I can't even imagine what you've been through, Penelope."

"I actually enjoy my job," she replied.

"I'm not talking about that, I'm talking about my brother. He must have been a tick."

"Hey!" Colin complained. Penelope giggled and hugged him.

“He’s not so bad, you know,” she said to Eloise. “He’s actually really sweet, and the best bodyguard I’ve ever had.”

“Pen,” Hyacinth said. “You have to tell me everything about your job. How is it? Are you rich?”

That made many in the room laugh. “I’m sorry to inform you that I am not. And while it has its drawbacks, I enjoy it very much.”

“Still, that’s not all you do, Pen,” Colin said. “You’re also a writer, signed to a publishing house, and about to finish your first book.”

“That’s incredible,” Daphne said.

Once everyone was seated again, the conversation eventually took a different turn, and Penelope finally felt comfortable. Gregory still couldn’t look at her without blushing, and Anthony tried not to make eye contact with her, but she knew it was only a matter of time.

Next to her was Colin, filling his plate with macarons and scones, too many for anyone. Suddenly, Penelope heard someone sit down on her other side. It was Kate, Anthony's fiancée.

"So..." Kate started, "You're the girl whose tits my husband kissed."

Penelope was silent. ‘There goes the comfort,’ she thought. And before she could say anything, Kate added.

"I mean, I don't have those, so I guess he had fun, so don't worry. Just wait until I tell you what we did at my party."

Penelope relaxed and began talking to Kate, sharing gossip about the parties. Kate told her how she danced with the strippers -that's right, plural, more than one- and Penelope shared the details Anthony had avoided.

"So she wasn't as covered up as you told me, huh?" Kate asked Anthony, who turned red.

“I might have left some details out, I do not remember that day very well” he said trying to sound honest

“Okay, but tell me, how did Colin approach you?” Kate asked.

“Well, I must admit he wasn’t very subtle,” Penelope said, pointing to him. “He came into the room when I was changing after dancing because he thought I was sleeping with Benedict.”

“Colin!” Daphne shouted. “You didn’t even knock?”

“I had no time,” he said, defending himself.

“And what would you have done if I were sleeping with your brother?” Pen asked.

“I would have killed him,” he said without hesitation.

“Colin!” Penelope said, horrified. “You’re not serious.”

“Yes, I am,” he said.

“He really is,” Eloise said. “He’s crazy.” Penelope laughed, seeing her boyfriend not hesitate.

“None of those men deserved you, Pen. If we were in the nineteenth century, I would have challenged him to a duel for your honor,” he said, kissing his girlfriend’s hand.

“But once I told him to leave, he respected it. And a few days later, he texted me asking me out, and here we are.”

“How did he get your number?” Gregory asked. Penelope was pleased to see that the young Bridgerton could now speak to her without flinching, and she could sense that there might be a hint of jealousy in that question. And from the look Colin gave him, he seemed to feel the same.

“Benedict passed it to me,” Colin said.

“So you knew who she was when she came in and didn’t say anything? You knew that when Colin talked about Penelope, it was really about her,” Eloise said.

“Yes, but it wasn’t my place to share that information,” Benedict said calmly. “Besides, I would have missed seeing all your reactions.”

After a while, everything finally felt normal, Anthony was able to talk to her normally, Benedict and she already knew each other so there was no problem, Gregory, although he was calm, seemed to stick his chest out every time they spoke, he was very sweet although Colin didn't think the same. Simon, Daphne's husband, seemed calm and stayed out of the conversation, only making comments from time to time, Daphne on the other hand loved to talk as did Hyacinth, Penelope knew it would be a lot of fun to be part of this family. Kate and Fran were very sweet as was Violet, always trying to make her feel comfortable and Eloise was the most enigmatic. They talked a lot about books. The young Bridgerton woman seemed very interested in Penelope's book, asking her to read what she had and to keep her up to date with the news, saying she wanted to be the first to buy a copy. Colin butted in and corrected her:

"I'm sorry, sis, but the right to read the book first is reserved for her boyfriend," he said, putting an arm around Penelope as if marking his territory.

When brunch was over and everyone had said their goodbyes, the women arranged to go out together to chat and drink without the men, and they invited Penelope, which made Colin very happy. Seeing how his family already treated her like one of their own was a big deal to him. His mother invited her to have tea with just her the next week, which Penelope happily accepted.

Once inside the car, Penelope let out a deep sigh she didn't know she'd been holding.

"How are you feeling?" Colin asked.

"Light," she said. "It went pretty well."

"Are you kidding? They loved you, Pen," her boyfriend said. "Exactly how I knew they would."

"Yeah, I think so. They're all very nice," she said, looking out the window at the Bridgerton house.

Colin started driving, and Penelope said, "Did you notice how Gregory was looking at me? I think he was flexing his biceps every time he talked to me."

"Don't even mention it, that little devil is incorrigible."

"Oh c'mon, Col, he is so sweet," Penelope said, laughing.

"No, he isn't. He's a threat, his hormones all raging and those big, honey eyes."

"Do you really think he's a threat?" Penelope supposedly amused. "Honey, the moment I saw you when I entered that room, my eyes were stuck on you, there was no going back."

Colin's eyes watered as he heard his girlfriend speak so affectionately about him. Never had any of his partners been so sweet to him. Colin always felt he had to deserve or earn the love of his partners. He always thought he wasn't enough and that he had to work hard to deserve being loved, but with Penelope everything was different. He knew she loved him just the way he was; she didn't expect him to change anything about himself. Even so, Colin wanted to be better, not because he wasn't enough, but because the love he felt from Penelope made him want to improve himself and be better every day, so that tomorrow he could look back and see how much he had grown, with his favorite person by his side.

“Pen, what was that you whispered in Greg's ear that night?” Colin asked.

“Oh, nothing important,” she said disinterestedly.

“Come on, tell me,” he said, stopping at the light.

“Maybe someday I'll tell you. Let's just say it was a compliment.”

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

The next day they woke up and had breakfast at their favorite café. Sundays were quiet days; Penelope didn't go to the club, and Colin had the whole day free. They usually went out and wrote over coffee. Now sitting across from each other at their favorite table, with their daily coffee order and their favorite scones, Penelope could see Colin's eyes behind his computer. The letters on the screen were reflected in his eyes, those sapphire blue eyes she adored so much, and those curls that fell over his forehead, which were so soft and she loved to stroke.

Penelope sometimes typed on a computer, but most of the time she loved writing by hand. She said it made her connect with the story, as if she were experiencing it firsthand. She raised her head slowly when she heard the café door open and saw a tall blonde man walk in and approach the counter to make his order. Penelope's breath froze and her pulse quickened. She stood still and silent. Part of her begged her to flee and run, but the other part was terrified and froze. Colin noticed the expression on her face, took her hand, and asked:

"Pen," she felt Colin's hand on hers, and she jumped. "Hey, is everything okay?" he asked.

Penelope still couldn't speak; she just looked at him and prayed that he could understand what was happening to her, but he couldn't possibly know.

"Colin... I-" But before she could continue speaking, she heard

"Petra?" the man said. "Hey, it's been a long time. How are you?"

Penelope paled when she saw that the man had seen her, and she looked at Colin with a look of help. Colin seemed to understand her discomfort and sprang into action.

"Hi," Colin said, getting up and standing in front of Penelope to protect her. "Can I help you with something?"

“Oh, um, I was talking to her,” the man said, trying to see Penelope behind Colin, but her boyfriend was faster and moved to stand between them.

“Yeah, I get that, but what I think you don't understand is that she doesn't seem to want to talk to you.”

“You think so? Well, I'd like to hear it from her own mouth, just like I've heard so many other things,” the man said, looking Colin in the eye. “You know what I mean, those beautiful red lips. I'm sure you're just another one of her many clients. Tell me, have you tried her yet? She tastes delicious, right?”

"Look," Colin said, clenching his fists and taking a step forward, "if you don't want me to smack your mouth shut, I recommend you leave and never come back for her."

"Hey, there's no need for that attitude. I didn't come looking for her, I just wanted a coffee, but it seems fate is bringing us back together, and who am I to fight fate? You know what they say, when one door closes, you should look for a window."

"Not if she closed the door. If that's the case, then you walk away like a gentleman and don't come back to bother her."

"But I'm not bothering you, am I, P?"

Penelope still couldn't speak, and the tears she'd been holding back were now falling down her cheeks. When Colin saw her crying, the last shred of self-control that had kept him calm snapped. He turned around, grabbed the man by the neck, and led them out of the cafe.

"I don't know who you are, and I don't care. In fact, you're nobody, so I don't want to see you near her ever again. Do you understand? Or this warning will become your death sentence, and you'll never look for a window again." Colin said, reentering the cafe. He slowly approached Penelope and hugged her. Penelope was still crying and clung to him, as if she let go, she'd fly away and never come back. Feeling her breathing calm, Colin tried to pull away a little.

"Don't leave me," she said, holding him close.

"I'm not going anywhere. I want to pack our things so I can take you home," he explained. She nodded, and they headed to her apartment. Penelope was still in shock from the scene, but she was relieved to see the man was no longer around. Colin didn't ask any questions on the walk home, just hugged and kissed her.

Upon arriving at her apartment, Colin made tea and placed Penelope on the couch, wrapped her in her favorite blanket, took off her shoes, and sat next to her waiting for the water to finish heating.

Once the tea was ready, he settled back beside her.

“Pen, do you want to tell me who that man was?”

Penelope hadn't touched her tea; she was just holding the cup, feeling the heat emanating from the beverage. She was staring at a fixed point on the wall. If she was going to tell him this part of her past, she couldn't allow herself to look him in the eyes and see the disappointment they gave her.

“Remember when I told you I didn't do the Girlfriend Experience thing?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I did for a while,” she said, still not looking at him. “It was just dates—going for coffee, going to the movies, accompanying them to weddings when they didn't have a date, or even just texting. It was just a fantasy.”

“Ok…”

“But there was once… There was once when he hired me to go to a picnic in the park. I had seen him several times before; he was a frequent customer at the club, and he had hired me before. He picked me up in his car to go to the park, but we didn't go there. He drove me to his house. He entered the garage and forced me into his apartment. Once inside, he spoke to me kindly while I struggled to escape, and I begged him and explained that I didn't do those things, that the service didn't include physical intimacy, but he just ignored me. He spoke to me as if I were his girlfriend and didn't listen to anything I said. He forcibly took me to his room and… well, you know,” she said.

Penelope felt Colin's hand on hers. “Oh, Love, I am so sorry.”

“After that,” Penelope continued, “I reported him and they put a restraining order on him. The case didn't go any further because the lawyers said I had put myself in that situation on purpose. That was the last time I did something like that, and I only accept work from people I know and trust.”

“Pen, that wasn't your fault. Those lawyers were idiots. The terms of the agreement were clear, and he took advantage of you.”

“Even so, I shouldn't have put myself in that risky situation.”

“Penelope, listen to me,” Colin said, cupping her face so he could look her in the eyes. “You can do whatever you want. It doesn't matter if the agreement included sex or not. The moment you set a limit, he should listen. Anyone should listen. There's nothing you could have done differently that would change the fact that he's a pervert and a depraved person. And I promise, if I ever see him again, I'll kill him.”

“Don't you think I'm a whore for doing those things?” she asked with tears in her eyes.

“Pen, no, of course not. How can you say something like that?” he said, hugging her and wiping away her tears.

“It just can't be true that what I do doesn't bother you. I wake up every day thinking you'll finally tell me you want me to stop dancing or else you'll leave me.”

“Oh, Honey, no. I only want you to be happy. I know how important it is for you to do that job, I know how much you enjoy it, how powerful you feel, and that you have a really good group of friends there. The only thing that bothers me is this kind of stuff. Just thinking you're in danger makes my skin crawl. But you tell me you don't do those things anymore. I know the danger will never be zero, but I'm glad I'm here for you, to take care of you. To hug you, kiss you, and protect you.”

"What have I done to deserve someone as good, sweet, and perfect as you?" she asked

"Just being you makes me want to be the best version of myself I can. I love you, Pen. And I know it's probably too early to say this, and I don't expect you to feel the same way. I just couldn't wait any longer—" Penelope interrupted Colin with a kiss.

“I love you Colin” she said “And I don't care if it is too early, I just care that it is you”

Chapter Text

Colin 9:35 AM
Hi Kate
Can I ask you something about a legal matter?

Kate 9:40 AM
Sure

Colin 9:40 AM
If a woman files a rape complaint and the man only receives a restraining order (and then violates it), can she file another complaint for prosecution?

Kate 9:45 AM
Wow, that was very specific.
Is everything okay?

Colin 9:46 AM
Yes, yes, it's just to know

Kate 9:47 AM
Ok
I would need to have a little more information about the case

Colin 9:48 AM
This woman reported it and was convinced to minimize the charges, convincing them that it was her fault and to only ask for a restraining order.

Kate 9:50 AM
In that case, yes
She can file a new complaint since there was no rape trial.

Colin 9:50 AM
Ok, thanks

Kate 9:51 AM
Colin
You know you can trust me for whatever you need.

Colin 9:52 AM
Thanks Kate

In bed next to him, Colin could feel Penelope beginning to withdraw.

"Hmmm, hi," she said, still with one eye closed.

"Good morning," he replied.

"Who are you talking to?" she asked, stretching out.

"Kate," Colin said, placing his phone on the nightstand and hugging her.

"Hmmm, I could wake up like this every day," she said, snuggling into his neck.

"Pen," he said, "I was thinking about what we talked yesterday."

"Okay..." she said, looking at him.

"I talked to Kate," and seeing her scared expression, he added, "Don't worry, I didn't tell her it was you, but she's a lawyer, and I just wanted to know if it was an option."

"If what would be an option?" she asked doubtfully.

“If you could still file a complaint after the restraining order?”

Penelope stared at a fixed spot on the wall, her body filled with chills at the thought of having to face that man again and endure the interrogations. “And what did she say?”

“She said it was possible, because there wasn't a formal trial.”

“Okay.”

“I'm not saying you have to do anything, I just wanted to know if it was possible.”

“Do you think I should do it?” she asked, looking at him again.

“I'm not one to tell you what to do, but I do know that when you went the first time, that's what you wanted, and they convinced you to change your mind.”

“I just don't think I can go through that again,” she said with tears in her eyes.

“Hey,” Colin said, hugging her tighter. “You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. I'm here for whatever you need.”

“Thanks, love.”

“Now,” he said, getting out of bed, “what do you want for breakfast?”

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

After breakfast, Colin went for his daily run. When he came back, he saw Penelope writing on the couch:

"I'm going to take a shower, love," he said, kissing her forehead so as not to distract her.

"Hmm," she replied, concentrating.

Getting out of the shower, Colin could hear Penelope arguing on the phone.

"Stop it, that's not going to happen, stop insisting!" Pen yelled.

Colin leaned closer and listened behind the wall. "Don't you think I already know that? What are you talking about? That's not true!"

"Why can't you just be happy for me?" Colin poked his head out to see her. "Of course I trust him." She was pacing around the living room. "Great!" she yelled angrily. "It'll be a pleasure," she said sarcastically. "Perfect! We'll be there!"

"Ugh!" She screamed and threw the phone onto the couch. "Incredible, just what I needed" she said, heading into the kitchen.

"Pen..."

"What!" she said without thinking, and seeing the expression on Colin's face, Penelope realized what she had said and tried to apologize. "I'm sorry, it's just..."

"Is everything okay?" he asked, still holding the towel around his waist.

"Yes," she said, trying to calm down. "It was my mother."

"Oh, what did she say?"

"The usual: that I should stop dancing, that I'm an embarrassment to the family, that I should get a decent job, and oh! Yes, that you're going to leave me in a week when you get bored of me since you're only with me for a passing fancy that will soon be over. You know, the usual," she said, slamming the cabinet shut and starting to make tea.

"You know that's not true, right? Nothing is true," he said, hugging her from behind. "Not what she said about your job, nor what she said about me. You know I love you.”

“I know,” she said, resting her head on his chest. “It’s just that she drives me crazy. I hate it when she gets into my head.”

“What else did she say?”

“That she doesn’t trust you and wants to meet you so she can judge whether you’re honest or not. Now that I think about it, I should have consulted you before saying yes. I was just so angry I didn’t even think about it.”

“Hey, hey,” he said, turning around so he could look her in the eye. “It’s okay. At some point, I was going to have to see your mother. You met mine.”

“It is not the same, your mother is a dream.”

“Pen, everything will be alright. When will we see her?”

“In three hours.”

“What?” He said, alarmed.

“I’m so sorry, I just panicked,” she said, embarrassed. “It’s just that she told me she was in the area and that if I delayed it, it meant I didn’t trust you. So I told her we could meet up for brunch.”

“Ok, it's ok” he said kissing her forehead

“Really?” she asked unsure. He nodded and began to kiss her.

The kiss began slowly and serenely, expressing all his love and trying to erase her insecurities.

“Do you know what would be the best way to show your mother that this isn't temporary?”

“How?” she asked, still a little shaken by the kiss.

“Like this,” he said, trailing kisses down her neck and sucking.

“Oh,” she moaned, “Colin.”

She began to trace a path down Colin's chest with her hands while he continued to suck on her neck, her hands caressing his muscles and hair, still damp from the shower. The heat emanating from his body was unprecedented.

"Colin, you're going to give me a hickey," she said, half-moaning and half-pulling him closer.

"I know, honey, that's the idea," he growled into her neck. "I want your mother to see that I can't leave you and that I never will. She'd better get used to seeing me because I'll be the father of her grandchildren."

"Oh!" Penelope could feel the wetness between her legs increasing with every word Colin spoke. She loved it when he got possessive.

“One of these days, Pen, I'm going to fill your tight little pussy with my seed and you'll get pregnant, without birth control or pills to prevent it. Oh Pen, you have no idea how beautiful you'll look pregnant with my children.”

“Colin, please, no more,” she said, moving so she could kiss him.

“You say no more, but you kiss me,” he said playfully.

“No more words, and more action. If you're ever going to get me pregnant, we need to practice. Now, fuck me so hard that my mother can smell the sex between us no matter how many times I bathe.”

Colin groaned at her words; he loved it when she talked dirty to him. The vulgarities that came out of her mouth, that beautiful and delicate mouth, capable of the most beautiful and poetic prose, was also the same mouth capable of taking him completely until he felt the tip of his cock touch her throat. It was the same mouth that could make him hard with just one sentence, and it was the only mouth he wanted to kiss until his last breath.

Colin dropped the towel that covered his waist and took Penelope to place her on the counter. His mouth devoured her brutally, stealing her breath and leaving her thirsty for more. Penelope began to remove her underwear, feeling him lift her shirt and leave her completely naked before him. Colin's eyes nearly popped out of his head. Penelope was beautiful, a perfect goddess, Aphrodite personified, the future mother of his children and his soulmate, and he could spend his life just watching her. Her fiery hair, her full, fleshy lips, her eyes that shone like diamonds. Her breasts were so large he could barely hold them, her nipples large and pink. Sucking on those nipples and listening to her moans was the most erotic image of all. Her abdomen was so soft and squishy, ​​perfect for digging his fingers into and fucking her brutally, and that pussy that drove him crazy, so tight and wet, always so wet. The way she gripped him so tightly, as if she didn't want to let go, made Colin want to fuck her so hard his sperm would overcome the contraceptives and get her pregnant on the spot.

Penelope grabbed Colin by the neck and pulled him towards her so she could kiss him.

“Colin,” she moaned, “now.”

“Mmmm, someone’s impatient,” he said, leaving kisses all over her neck and moving down to her breasts. “You’re acting like I didn’t fuck you last night. You’re making me think I did not satisfy you.”

“You’ll never be able to satisfy me enough to make me not want you anymore. Always, no matter the time or place. So now, fuck me, Colin. Take what’s yours, baby.”

Hearing Penelope being so direct about her desires and giving herself to him made him almost cum on the spot. Without further ado, he took his painfully hard cock and buried it inside his girlfriend, reveling in the sounds emanating from her body. Between her screams of pleasure and the wet sounds coming from her dripping pussy, Colin had to hold on tightly to the counter to try to hold on as long as possible.

"Oh Colin," she moaned. "Move baby," she begged.

"I need a minute, honey," he said, breathing deeply.

"Oh, yeah?" she said playfully, clenching her abdominal muscles tightly.

"Fuck Pen," he said, trembling.

"Oh, right, I forgot that that only makes you finish faster," she said, faking innocence.

"You're going to regret that, love," he said, grabbing her hips and thrusting into her mercilessly.

Pen began to let out muffled screams, holding onto his shoulders to keep from collapsing onto the counter. The pleasure she felt inside her was sublime. Feeling him stretching her to her limit, taking her so hard that she knew she'd have trouble walking later. Just imagining herself sitting in front of her mother with her boyfriend's cum still dripping down her thighs made Pen orgasm without realizing it, squeezing Colin even tighter than before, causing him to finish with her without being able to stop himself.

“Fuck, love” he moaned cumming inside her, filling her hole with his seed.

“I love how that feels” she said caressing the back of his head “I love having your cum filling me”

“Pen, if you don't stop that I will get hard again and I don't think we have time for another round” he said resting his head against her shoulder

“Alright” she said, complaining “Help me down so I can shower and change for brunch”

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

A few hours later, Penelope and Colin met Portia at a café near her apartment.

“Penelope!” Portia greeted her, looking like a loving mother who hasn't seen her daughter in months. "I've missed you so much."

"Hi, Mom," Penelope said, surprised and confused. "We met a week ago at Prudence's house."

"I know, darling, but I always love seeing you." Penelope looked at Colin with a don't-believe-a-word-she-says look in her eyes. "And this must be the famous Colin Bridgerton. It's a pleasure to meet you." Colin extended his hand to shake it, but Portia took his arm and hugged him tightly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Featherington," Colin said, breaking away from the hug.

"Oh, please, call me, Portia. There's no need for such formality," she said, sitting down.

Penelope sat facing her mother with Colin at her side. Under the table, she took his hand and looked at him with pleading eyes. Colin squeezed hers and nodded, letting her know that everything would be okay.

"So..." Portia said, interrupting their gaze, "Tell me how you met."

Penelope looked at Colin for help. Portia knew Colin knew she was a stripper, but they didn't know how she would react to the story.

"Well..." Colin said, "Pen was hired by my brother to dance." Portia's eyes widened, and before her mother could comment, he added, "And the first moment I saw her walk through the door, I fell completely in love with her. I hadn't even seen her dance yet. In fact, I didn't know who she was or why she had come that day, but I did know she was the woman I wanted to spend every day of my life with."

Penelope's eyes watered, and Portia stared at them, surprised and a little unsure.

"So what my daughter does doesn't bother you?" she asked.

"Mom!" Penelope said, horrified.

"Why would it bother me?" Colin said, trying to remain calm despite understanding the undertone of the question. “I can tell you've never seen her dance. She has a very special grace, she's like a magnet you can never stop following. It's not for nothing that she's the best in the club.”

“Well, when I sent her to ballet classes at five, it wasn't so she'd later dedicate herself to dancing for drunks,” he said without blinking, calling for the waitress to take their order.

Penelope looked at Colin apologetically. He, in turn, put his arm around her waist, kissed her cheek, and whispered, “She doesn't know what she's missing.” The comment warmed Penelope's heart. No matter what her mother thought, she knew Colin would always support her.

Once they had ordered their coffees, the conversation turned to Colin, what his family was like, and what he did.

“Oh, so you want to be a writer too,” Portia said, trying to sound friendly, but it was clear she wasn’t keen on the idea.

“Yeah, well, I’d like to write about the travels I’ve taken over the years. Even so, I’m still a long way from publishing my book. Unlike Pen, she’s an incredible writer, and it’s getting closer and closer to the world seeing how talented she is.” Portia looked at her daughter, who seemed to have hearts in her eyes, and looked back at Colin, seeing the sincerity in his words. “At the moment, I have a desk job, and I’d like to own a bookstore someday, and, if I’m lucky, Pen will let me display her books there.”

“You seem honest” Portia said looking at him in the eyes

Both Penelope and Colin looked at her in surprise. “Of course I'm honest,” Colin said, losing his patience.

“Don't get me wrong, Colin. I don't mean for you to be offended, but Penelope hasn't had good luck finding a partner in the past.”

“Mom, I don't think what you're saying is appropriate,” Penelope said tensely.

“In my opinion, Portia,” Colin said. “Those people were the problem, not Penelope. It was them who didn't appreciate the fabulous woman in front of them, and I assure you, I won't make that mistake.”

“You must understand, Colin, of all my daughters, Penelope is the most sensitive, but the strongest. And for some reason, her exes always clouded that side of her. The last time she dated a client… well let's just say it didn't end well”

“I know that” he said angrily

“You do?” she asked looking at her daughter “You told him?” Penelope nodded “So you would understand why I am so unsure about this” The expression on Penelope's face changed, and her anger dissipated, replaced by surprise and confusion as she heard her mother's words. “I hated watching each of those men make the strong woman she is disappear, leaving only a shell of who she is.” Looking her daughter in the eyes, she said, “Penelope, I know I'm really hard on you sometimes. It's just that I know everything you're capable of. Your potential is endless. Don't tell your sisters, but you're the smartest, and it kills me to see you wasting all your talent in that club. I want you to have the best life.”

Penelope's eyes filled with tears. “I know you care about me, mom. It's just that if you truly believe I'm that capable, you should trust that the decisions I make are the best for me, even if they're not what you'd choose.” She said, taking her mother's hand across the table. “I'm not going to dance all my life, but for now, it's something that makes me happy, and I'd like you to try to accept that.”

“Alright,” Portia said. “I'll try.”

The rest of the brunch turned out to be surprisingly peaceful and enjoyable.

Once outside the café, they said their goodbyes and arranged to meet again so Colin could meet the rest of the Featherington family.

"Well," Colin said, looking at Penelope, "it went pretty well, didn't it?" Penelope couldn't help but start laughing maniacally. "What's wrong?" Colin asked.

"That wasn't my mother," Penelope giggled.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, watching his girlfriend go crazy.

"In all the years of my life, she's never once complimented me, and now out of nowhere she's telling me I'm the strongest and smartest of all her daughters, that I have so much potential and all that. Did it really take so long for her to finally open her eyes and see me for who I really am?" Penelope's laughter began to turn into tears.

“Pen…” Colin said, hugging her and holding her while she cried. “There are people who can't show their love, there are people who don't know how. Your mother seems to be one of those people. She loves you and cares for you, but she doesn't know how to show it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not condoning all the things she's said to you over the years, but I think this could be a good starting point for a new chapter, and maybe your relationship will improve from now on, don't you think?”

“Maybe,” she said, clinging to him. “Colin, can I ask you something”

“Yes, love”

“Take me to our home.”

“Ours?” he asked, looking into her eyes.

“I know we're doing everything in a hurry, but that doesn't matter to me anymore.” She said, wiping away her tears. “I want you to move in with me. You practically live with me already, so all that's left is to make it official.”

“Pen, are you sure?” he asked, excited.

“Yes, I'm sure. Do you want to move in with me?”

“Oh, Pen, I would love to,” he said, kissing her.