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*drip*

Penelope twitched her nose.

*drip* *drip*

Penelope twitched her nose again.

*drip* *drip* *drip*

Penelope groaned, refusing to open her eyes.  If she did, she knew she would see storm clouds overhead and she really did not want to move from her chaise lounge.  The chaise lounge in Mexico that she had spent years saving for.

Okay, she didn’t own the chair, but it had been hers for the past three days and she was not going to give it up because of a little rain.

*drip*

Sighing, she knew she should move.  But there was a bigger part that told her to stay until she absolutely had to.  Although she could do without the heat on her face and the smell, she thought as she readjusted slightly.

“Biscuit!” a far-off voice yelled.  “Biscuit!”

*drip*

Penelope groaned again and slowly opened her eyes, another droplet landing on her cheek.  “Ahh!” she screamed, startled to see the giant face of a Saint Bernard looming over her and panting.

“Biscuit! Where are you, boy?”

The dog just stood there, wagging his tail and looking down at her.  Once her heart rate slowed somewhat back to normal, Penelope slid to the end of the chair and sat up.

Cautiously, she held out the back of her hand for the dog to smell and her entire hand was coated by its tongue.  Penelope giggled and reached up to pat the top of its head.

The dog stepped closer to her, more drool landing on her.  “Hello there.  Where did you come from? Is your owner nearby?” The dog sat at her feet and continued to pant.  “Are you thirsty? Would you like some water?” The dog’s ears perked up at the word and Penelope smiled.  “Okay, hang on, let me grab my bottle.”

Unscrewing the cap, she poured it slowly out of the top, the dog lapping up the water so fast, hardly any touched the sand.  When the bottle was empty, the dog looked at her expectantly.  “Sorry, I’m all out.  But if I can figure out who owns you, I’m sure they have more.  But I should probably learn your name first, how does that sound?”

Looking at the collar, she saw the name BISCUIT engraved onto a bone-shaped tag.  “Well hello, Biscuit.  My name is Penelope.”  Biscuit put his paw on her lap as if he was shaking hands with her and she laughed.  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Biscuit.”

“Biscuit! Biscuit!”

“I think someone’s looking for you, Biscuit.  Let me see your collar again, maybe I can call to let them know you’re safe.”  To her surprise, there was no other information, not even a phone number.

Penelope scanned the beach in both directions as well as behind her and didn’t see anyone who seemed like they were looking for a dog.  “What do you say, Biscuit? Should we help them find you?”

Biscuit gave Penelope his paw again in answer and as soon as she let go, he pawed at her again.  “What do you want, boy?” Biscuit nudged her hand with his head before resting it on her lap.  “Oh, I see.  You want more pets.”

“Biscuit! Where are you? Biscuit!”

“We really should find your owner,” Penelope said to the dog as she stroked his head.  “He’s over here!” Penelope called out.  “We’re on the beach!”

“Biscuit! There you are! Thank God!” Biscuit didn’t even turn to look at the man who was quickly approaching, instead nuzzling Penelope’s hand demanding more pets.

“I am so, so sorry, Miss,” the man said as he arrived.

“He was no bother at all.  I will admit I was startled when I opened my eyes to him standing over me, but we became fast friends.  Isn’t that right, Biscuit?” Biscuit wagged his tail and nuzzled her hand again in response.  “See? You have a great dog, Mister…”

“Oh, I’m sorry.  I’m Harry.  But he’s not mine, he belongs to my employer.  And he is a good dog, but he’s also incredibly stubborn.  I’m sorry again, Miss.”

“My name is Penelope,” she smiled, offering her hand to Harry.  “I’m surprised I haven’t seen you around.  I’m sure I would’ve noticed this handsome man,” she said, indicating Biscuit.

“Hello,” Harry smiled back at her.  “We only just arrived this morning.”  Seeing no harm in telling her more, he said, “We’ll be here until next weekend.”

“And I’ll be right here until then as well,” Penelope said, smiling again.

“In that case, maybe we’ll see you again.  My boss is…” Harry’s phone started to buzz and he looked at the screen.  “I’m sorry, it’s my boss, I should take this.  Come on, Biscuit.”

“Okay.  Bye, Biscuit!” Penelope said, giving the dog a final pat on the head as Harry started to walk away.  He smiled as he answered the phone, knowing that if he had anything to do with it, Penelope would definitely see Biscuit again.  The only difference would be Colin Bridgerton holding the leash instead.

******

Penelope took up residence on the same chaise lounge the following day, wondering if she would run into Harry and Biscuit again.  She busied herself with her novel and gazed out at the clear blue waters of the Caribbean, the day flying by her.  As she packed up to go back to her room to change, she realized she was disappointed she hadn’t seen them again.

Two days after she first saw them, Penelope had an excursion planned to go see the Mayan ruins and it would be the first day she wasn’t planted in her chair.  It also meant she would be gone most of the day, with another missed opportunity.

The excursion got back to the resort earlier than Penelope thought it would, and she smiled, hoping if she went to her chaise, she might spot Biscuit and Harry.

It was late in the afternoon, so she wasn’t going to change into her bikini, but she could still relax on the beach and listen to the sounds of the waves with her book.

She stopped by her room to drop off her bag and ten minutes later, she was on her way across the resort to the beach.  She got herself situated and did a quick look around, disappointed to not see them anywhere in sight.

Her eyelids started to get heavy after the day’s activities and she shut her eyes, deciding to take a quick nap before dinner.

*plop* *plop* *plop*

Penelope’s eyes opened as she felt her body start to get wet, a raindrop just narrowly missing her eye.  She loved a summer storm and part of her was contemplating sitting in it, but she knew the rain in Mexico was fierce and that she needed to take cover.

She started to head back toward her room, but the rain caught up to her and suddenly, it was pouring.  Penelope frantically looked around, trying to see where she could take cover when a bark came from behind her.

She turned toward the sound and saw a 160-pound Saint Bernard heading straight for her, a man yelling behind him to stop.  “Biscuit! No! Stop!”

“Hi Biscuit!” she cried happily, bending down to pet the soaked dog on his back.  The man caught up with them and picked up Biscuit’s leash, attempting to pull him away from Penelope.

Before Penelope looked up, she said, “I see you got caught in the rain too, Harry.”

The man cleared his throat and answered in a slightly deeper baritone, “I’m not Harry.”

“Oh!” Penelope said, looking up.  “I’m sorry, I thought…” Her words died off as she looked into the face of the man in front of her.  He had to be the most attractive man she had ever laid eyes on, and she had just embarrassed herself in front of him.

“Sorry,” she said again, looking away from him.

“Come on,” he said, and Biscuit followed, turning around every few steps to look back at her.  “I meant you too,” the stranger called over his shoulder.  “Unless you would prefer to keep standing in the rain.”

“Oh!” Penelope said, shaking her head and running to keep up with the man’s long strides.  “I’m sorry,” she said when she finally caught up to them.  “I thought you were talking to Biscuit.”

At the sound of his name, Biscuit walked over to her and sat at her feet.  “How do you know my dog?” the man asked.

“Ah, so you must be Harry’s elusive boss,” Penelope chuckled.  “Hi, I’m Penelope,” she said, offering her hand to him.

“Elusive?” he demanded, ignoring her hand for the moment.

Not wanting to get Harry in trouble, Penelope backpedaled her words.  “He didn’t say that! I just thought you were elusive since you weren’t out the first day you arrived walking around with him and Biscuit.”

“I was getting my affairs in order, and Harry offered to take him for a walk.”

“So you are elusive,” she teased.

“No, I’m just very busy.”

“But not too busy to enjoy your vacation, I hope.”

“Penelope, was it?” She nodded.  “Look, Penelope.  I’m sorry for being so rude.  It’s just, usually by now, people realize who I am and make a big deal about it and I came here for that to not happen.”

“Okay…” Penelope said, clearly confused.

“So basically, I’m wondering why you haven’t said anything.  You’re either so chill it doesn’t matter to you, or you genuinely don’t know who I am, which I find very hard to believe.”

“Wow, conceited much?” she asked, teasing him again.  “I can be chill, and honestly, it doesn’t matter to me who you are.  You can be anyone you want to be on vacation.  My real name is Penelope, but I could’ve told you my name was Rita and you would’ve been none the wiser.”

He cracked a smile at that, and realizing she had put her hand down, he held out his instead.  He was prepared to tell her his name was Greg, but the moment their hands made contact, a spark he had never felt before jolted his body and he found himself telling her his real name.  “I’m Colin.  Colin Bridgerton.”

******

Colin Bridgerton .  His name sounded warm and lovely and she wondered how it would sound coming out of her mouth. Wanting to test it, she said, “So, Colin Bridgerton, what do you do for a living?”

Colin almost laughed.  “You really don’t know who I am, do you?”

“No, I’m afraid not.  Should I?”

“You’re going to think I’m terribly vain, but nearly every female walking this earth knows who I am, and a lot of the male population as well.  I didn’t think I would ever meet someone who didn’t know who I was.”

“I already thought you were conceited, remember?” she laughed.

Colin laughed too.  “That’s very true.  Oh hey, look.  The rain is letting up.”  Sure enough, the blue sky was visible in the distance and the rain subsided a few minutes later.

Biscuit wasted no time in shaking out his coat, nailing Penelope and Colin with the water.  “Biscuit! Come on, stop!” Colin cried.  “Sorry about that,” he apologized, looking at Penelope.

“It’s okay,” she giggled, shaking her arms off.  “He’s just being a good boy.  Right, Biscuit?” Biscuit wagged his tail in response, and Colin laughed.

“He sure likes you.  He’s not ever this friendly with strangers.  Not that you’re strange or anything, but—”

“I get it,” she said, saving him from his rambling.  “I’m not a big dog person, but Biscuit? He’s great.  You’ve done a good job with him.  Does he travel with you all the time?”

“Most of the time, yeah.”

“That’s sweet,” she said, smiling at him.

“Yeah, it’s nice to have a buddy with me.  And speaking of my buddy, I should get him some dinner.  And myself food too, although Harry is out tonight…”

“Oh yeah, me too,” Penelope said, suddenly disappointed that their conversation was coming to an end.  Granted, they had really only talked about Biscuit, but Penelope found herself wanting to find out more about him.

“Come on, boy.  Let’s go inside.  Penelope, it was lovely meeting you.  If I don’t see you again, enjoy the rest of your trip.”

She felt her eyes filling with tears, and she really wasn’t sure why.  She didn’t even know this man.  She didn’t look at him when she told him the same thing, hoping he wouldn’t notice how sad she was.  She bent down and gave Biscuit a kiss on his wet nose and began her uncomfortable walk back to her room.

Colin watched her walk away and Biscuit nuzzled his palm.  “I know, boy.  I blew it,” he sighed.  “Unless…wanna help me?” Biscuit looked at him and Colin grinned.  “Go get her,” he said, releasing his leash.

******

“Biscuit! Come back!” Colin yelled, jogging slowly as he watched his dog reach Penelope on the other side of the pool.  Even with his pace, he reached the petite redhead in a matter of seconds.

She was already crouched down, stroking Biscuit’s head and back when Colin picked up the leash. Penelope slowly looked up at him, expecting to see annoyance, but what she saw was something else entirely and it surprised her.

The words that came out of his mouth next surprised her even more.  “Would you like to have dinner with me? I mean, me and Biscuit?”

“I…yes.  That would be nice.”

Colin smiled.  “Okay.  Would you be uncomfortable if we ate in my suite? Or would you like to go to a restaurant?”

“Do they allow dogs?” she asked, looking at Biscuit.

“What?”

“At the restaurants?”

“Oh,” he said, his face flushing.  “I…”

Penelope giggled.  “Your suite is fine, Colin.  What room number are you in?”

“1824.”

“Okay.  I would like to change and take a quick shower, if that’s okay.  Do you think Biscuit will mind waiting for dinner?”

“He’ll be fine, especially now that he knows you’ll be dining with us,” Colin said, patting Biscuit’s head.  “I’ll see you soon, Penelope.”

“See you soon,” she said, waving to them as she walked off, doing her best not to skip the rest of the way to her room.

******

Thirty minutes later, Penelope found herself standing outside Colin Bridgerton’s suite in her favorite summer dress.  She figured that if she wanted to remember a specific moment from this vacation, she wanted it to be this one.

She knocked lightly and when Colin answered the door a few seconds later, Penelope’s heart stopped.  His hair was still wet, his stubble more prominent than it had been an hour ago, and he was dressed in a navy button down with khaki shorts on.

A dish towel was slung over his shoulder and he had flour on his nose and the tips of his fingers.  Without thinking, Penelope reached up and wiped it from his face, making him chuckle.

“Oh god, I’m sorry! I wasn’t thinking!” she apologized, avoiding eye contact with him.  Colin reached for her hand and with the dish towel, gently wiped her finger off.

“It’s okay, Penelope.  I’m always a mess in the kitchen, so thank you.  Come on in.”

“Kitchen?” she asked, unsure if she heard him correctly.

“Yeah, you know the room in the house that the refrigerator and oven are in?” he asked teasingly.

“Shut up,” she giggled, “I know what a kitchen is.  I was just surprised that you have one.”

“It’s not a full kitchen, but it does the job,” he replied.  “I should’ve asked, but do you eat chicken? Or are you a vegetarian? I have other options, so I could make lasagna instead.”

“Chicken is fine.  Honestly, I’m still surprised that you even know how to cook.  Most men avoid every appliance and gadget in this room except the refrigerator and the bottle opener.”

“You’re funny, you know that? And you’re also mostly correct.  And that reminds me, what kind of wine can I get you? I have red and white, but Pinot Gris goes best with this dish.”

“Pinot Gris is fine with me, I trust your expertise.”

“Aw, don’t say that, it’ll go to my head,” he laughed.  “At least my brothers think so.”

“How many brothers do you have?” she asked, after taking a sip of her wine.

“Three.  And I have four sisters.”

“There’s eight of you? That’s a lot! I thought it was bad with the four of us.  I only have sisters, though.”

“Yeah, it gets kind of crazy when we’re all together.”  She nodded in understanding, a moment of silence passed between them.  Penelope broke it by asking, “So where’s Biscuit?”

“My lazy dog is snoozing, but he needs to wake up so he can eat.  Would you want to feed him so I can continue prepping dinner?”

“Yeah, I can do that.  Where’s his food?”

“In the cabinet below me.  Can you get it or do I need to move?”

“I should be able to reach it,” she said, crouching down to open the door.  Colin stepped back as far as his flour-covered hands would allow him, and Penelope found the can of wet dog food.

She put a hand on the countertop, her fingers landing in a pile of flour as she stood up, a curl falling into her face from the movement.  She didn’t notice the flour, and before Colin could say anything, Penelope swiped it away, leaving a white streak across her cheek.

Colin chuckled, unable to help himself.  “What?” Penelope asked, looking at him.  “And how much food does Biscuit get?”

“Hang on,” Colin said, putting the piece of chicken in his hands on the baking sheet.  “First, Biscuit gets half of that can, plus two scoops of dry food.  The dry food is by his bowl over there,” Colin said, nodding to the corner.

“Okay, thanks.”

“Biscuit! Wake up, Sleepy Head! Are you hungry?” Colin called out.  Biscuit lifted his head and yawned before getting up to stretch as Penelope grabbed the can.

“Wait,” Colin said, turning her so she was facing him.  “You have something on your face.”  He gently stroked his thumb across her cheek, and she couldn’t help but blush from the contact.

“T-thank you,” she whispered.  The intimate moment was broken when Biscuit barked and they both laughed.

“You go take care of him, I’ll take care of us,” Colin said, going back to the food prep.

“Okay.”

******

The lemon herb chicken that Colin made smelled and looked absolutely delicious.  Penelope had assisted with the vegetables, and after everything was done, they carried their plates to the small table on Colin’s private balcony.

“Allow me,” he said, pulling out her chair for her.  After he sat down, he let out a small whistle and Biscuit came running, laying immediately at his master’s feet.  “Good boy,” he said, patting his head.

Penelope watched the scene with amusement, and cut a piece of chicken.  Blowing on it, she carefully bit into it and moaned.  “Colin! This is delicious!”

It took him a second to answer, his mind too focused on the sound she had just made.  “I’m glad you like it,” he said quietly.

“So how did you learn to cook?”

“Watching my mother, I suppose.  And then with my…travels around the world, I learned more and I found that when I step into the kitchen, I’m relaxed.”

“Are your travels related to your job?”

He sighed.  “Yes.”

When she realized he wasn’t going to say more, she wiped her mouth and held up her hand.  “Okay, I won’t ask about your job.  I’m sorry for prying.”

“It’s not that.  I’m more afraid that if I tell you who I really am and what I do for a living, you’ll end up being like everyone else, and I don’t want that.

“You’re different from anyone else I’ve ever met.  You clearly love my dog, and he loves you which makes me so happy.  Biscuit and I are a package deal, and most people don’t pay him any attention.

“You’re also incredibly witty and have this confidence about you that most people don’t.  You’re funny and beautiful and I don’t want the knowledge of what I do for a living to change anything.”

Colin took a deep breath and met Penelope’s eye.  She contemplated his words and smiled.  “Okay.”

“Oh-Okay?”

“Okay.  You’ll tell me when you’re ready.”

“Penelope?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you,” he said as he reached across the table for her hand.

******

The rest of dinner was more small talk and getting to know each other, Colin asking about her career, her family, her childhood.  Penelope asked him about where he had grown up, what his ambitions were, and how he met Harry, careful to avoid any questions that would make him uncomfortable.

After the meal, they went into the kitchen to clean up, Penelope insisting on doing the dishes since Colin had cooked.  “I’ve been wondering this the entire time I’ve been here and my curiosity is getting the better of me.  How did you get all this food? I thought most people ordered room service or ate at the restaurants.”

Colin rubbed the back of his neck before answering, “I, uh…I have connections.  Well, not really connections, but I made special requests? Like I said before, cooking relaxes me, and since I have this little kitchen, I wanted to take advantage of it.”

“Maybe I should have meals here more often, all I have is a mini fridge full of water!” she smiled, teasing him again.

“A beautiful woman to share my meals with? By all means, come on over.”

“Oh! I didn’t—I wasn’t trying to invite myself—”

Colin chuckled.  “Penelope, would you like to have lunch with me here on Saturday? I would ask for tomorrow, but I do have some things I need to take care of during the day.”

“Yes, lunch would be lovely.  Would you like me to take Biscuit tomorrow?” At the sound of his name, Biscuit lifted his head and began wagging his tail.

“What do you think, boy? Want to spend tomorrow afternoon with Penelope?” Biscuit let out a small bark and they both laughed.  “Seems to me like you have a date with one of the Bridgerton boys tomorrow, hopefully the other one will be just as lucky.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, her pulse quickening as he stepped closer.

“I want to ask you out for dinner tomorrow night, but I have one stipulation before I do.  I need to know your last name.  I can’t properly ask you otherwise.”

“Oh! It’s Featherington.”

He smiled.  “Now that that’s settled, Penelope Featherington, would you like to go to dinner with me tomorrow night at Bordeaux?”

“I would love to, Colin Bridgerton,” she smiled, her cheeks turning a lovely shade of pink.

******

The following morning, Penelope put on her favorite bikini, flip flops, and a coverup.  Her red curls were piled on top of her head in a messy bun with her sunglasses threaded into it and she grabbed her beach bag before walking across the resort to Colin’s suite.

She arrived at 11:30, unsure of what time Colin wanted Biscuit gone to do his work.  She knocked on the door, her knocks matching how fast her heart was beating.

“Harry! Can you get that?” she heard Colin call, only slightly disappointed he wouldn’t be answering the door himself.  There was a muffled noise, a bark, and a thud, followed by Colin’s unmistakable laugh.

Penelope was about to knock again when the door opened, revealing a shirtless Colin.  “H-hi!” she stammered, staring at his muscular chest, her eyes level with his pecs.

“My eyes are up here, Penelope,” Colin teased, causing her face to turn a deep shade of red.

“Sorry,” she said, finally tearing her eyes away.

“I was just teasing, come on in.”  She quickly slipped past him, trying to avoid making contact with him when he grabbed her shoulder.  “I really was teasing,” he whispered.  “You can stare all you want.”

“O-oh.  Thank you,” she replied, a goofy grin on her face, making Colin laugh.

“Penelope, you remember my assistant, Harry.”

“Hi, Penelope,” Harry called from where he was still laying on the floor.

“Hi, Harry.  Hi, Biscuit!”

Biscuit ran over to her excitedly, his 160-pound frame knocking her straight into Colin.  His arms instinctively went around her to protect her as Biscuit’s attack of happiness continued.

Penelope blushed, the memory of the night before still fresh in her mind.  After dinner, they made coffee and Colin walked her back to her room, holding her hand the entire time.  He gave her a hug before they parted, and Penelope squealed in delight the second she was safely in her room.

“Easy, boy,” Colin said, bringing Penelope out of her daydream.  Biscuit calmed down enough that Colin was able to let Penelope go, and she found herself wishing she was in his arms a little longer.

Colin must’ve been feeling the same way, because as she bent down to give Biscuit a kiss, she heard Colin ask Harry if he would get Biscuit’s things from the other room while he got Biscuit’s food ready.

“Sure thing, Boss.  Come on, Biscuit.  Want to pick a toy?” Biscuit followed after Harry, leaving the two of them alone.

“Finally,” Colin whispered and he turned Penelope around.  She melted into his embrace, her arms wrapping around his torso, her ear pressed against his chest.  She momentarily closed her eyes, the sound of his heartbeat soothing and relaxing.

Biscuit entered the room a second later carrying his favorite toy, a stuffed duck, and Colin reluctantly let her go.  He made his way to the kitchen and Penelope followed so he could give her instructions on Biscuit’s lunchtime routine.

“He’s all set, Mr. Bridgerton,” Harry said, carrying a small bag.

“Perfect, thank you, Harry.”

“What time should I have Biscuit home?” Penelope asked, taking Biscuit’s food from Colin.

“I think we should be done by five, what do you think, Harry?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Okay.”

“If we get done sooner, I’ll call you, okay?” Colin asked as he attached Biscuit’s leash.

“Sounds good!” Penelope said, smiling.  “Have fun, boys! Come on, Biscuit!”

Colin stood in the doorway, watching the two of them walk away, his own goofy smile appearing.  Harry watched his boss and smiled to himself, knowing his instincts had been correct the very moment he had laid eyes on Penelope Featherington.

******

Penelope and Biscuit spent the day at the beach, soaking up the sun and Biscuit even ventured into the water for a bit.  Penelope was able to read her novel as Biscuit took a nap under the umbrella, and before she knew it, her phone was ringing.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Pen! It’s Colin.  We’re finished for the day, you can bring Biscuit back now if you want.”

She looked at the snoozing giant next to her and she smiled.  “He’s sleeping peacefully, I don’t want to wake him.”

“You must have tired him out!”

“I think I did,” she agreed.  “Do you want to come join us? We’re on the beach.”

“Are there a lot of people?”

“There are some, but more people are at the pool, I think.”

“I…okay.  I’ll be down soon.  If he wakes up before I get there, call me.”  Colin hung up and put his head in his hands.

“Something wrong, Boss?”

“She wants me to come to the beach.”

“So? You love the beach.”

“Yes, but I don’t want to be seen with her.  Not until I tell her who I am.  That’s not fair to her.  I really like her, Harry.”

Harry smiled.  “I know, I can tell.  Why do you think I faked plans the other day? I wanted you to meet her.  Biscuit adores her.”

“You faked plans so I had to walk my dog in the hopes of running into Penelope?”

Harry shrugged.  “It worked, didn’t it?”

“It sure did.  Thank you, Harry.  How can I ever repay you?”

“Increase my salary?” Harry asked with a grin.

“You got it,” Colin laughed.

Penelope called ten minutes later and told Colin not to worry about coming down.  He was a little relieved, but he could hear the hurt in her voice anyway.  “I’m sorry, Penelope.  It’s just…I promise I’ll explain everything later, okay?”

“You don’t have to tell me anything, you know that, right?”

“I know, but I want to.  Do you want a glass of wine when you get back?”

“Yes, please.  Any kind of white, I’m not picky.”

“It’ll be waiting for you.”

******

Penelope found out their reservation was at seven from Colin when she arrived back at his suite.  They shared a glass of wine before she left again to go get ready, and when she arrived back at his suite, she was in her fanciest dress.

Harry answered the door and whistled, making her blush.  “You look fantastic,” he said, moving aside to let her in.

“Thank you,” she said.  “Is Colin ready yet?”

“I’m coming!” he said, walking into the living room from what she assumed was his bedroom.  He was wearing a suit with no tie, the top two buttons undone so his chain and chest hair were visible and Penelope had to put her hand on the kitchen counter to not fall over.

“Holy…” she muttered and Harry snickered.  Colin must’ve heard her as well, because his face turned pink and he was grinning like an idiot.  He walked over to her and took her hands in his.

“I can say the same thing about you,” he smiled.  “You look ravishing.”

Without thinking, she asked, “Good enough to eat?”

Colin’s grip on her hands tightened and she thought she heard him mumble, “Yeah, something like that.”

“Oh!” she squeaked, neither of them knowing what to say as they both blushed and continued to hold hands.  Harry, who had been watching the whole thing, decided to put them out of their misery.

“Mr. Bridgerton? Your reservation is in fifteen minutes.  Maybe you and Miss Featherington should leave?”

“Ah, yes.  Dinner.  Right.  Shall we, Penelope?” Colin asked, dropping her hands.

“Yes, let’s go,” she said.  Colin guided her out of the suite, his hand on the small of her back.  The second he heard Harry shut the door, he grabbed her hand, lacing their fingers together.

Colin led them to the restaurant and around to the back, knocking on the door to the kitchen.  “Ah, Mr. Bridgerton.  If you and your lady will follow me, your table is ready.”

Penelope’s heart warmed at being called Colin’s lady, and she couldn’t help but smile.  The host led them to a private table and Colin pulled out her chair before sitting across from her.

The sommelier came over a few minutes later, and Colin ordered a bottle of their best Burgundy.  Penelope was impressed, and she made sure to tell him as much.  “I must admit, I am not too familiar with French cuisine, so after seeing that, would you like to order for me? If you know their food like you do their wine, I can’t go wrong.”

“I am familiar, yes.  I’ve spent time in France several times.  Their food is magnificent.”

“I’m excited to try it,” she said, smiling and blushing as he reached for her hand.  When the waiter came over, Colin expertly ordered for both of them, and when Penelope tried what he had ordered, she nearly fell off the seat.

“So you like it?” he asked, an amused smile on his face.

“Oh yes, this is delicious! And this wine is fantastic!” she said, taking another sip.  “I can’t wait for dessert!”

“Do you mind if we get dessert to go? Harry is meeting up with a few people he met earlier, and I want to check on Biscuit.”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t mind that.”

“You really are amazing, you know that?”

Penelope smiled.  “So are you.”

******

Penelope was halfway to wine drunk by the time they got back to Colin’s suite.  She was all smiley and giggly and her joy was infectious, making Colin grin and laugh along with her.

Colin unlocked the door and pushed it open so Penelope could enter first.  He was so enraptured by her that he forgot about Biscuit, who was suddenly at the door, barreling into Penelope again.

Colin dropped the bag of dessert in order to save Penelope, who was squealing in delight from Biscuit’s kisses.

She was leaning into Colin’s chest again, and he suddenly had the urge to kiss her.  This tiny woman had managed to work her way into his heart in a matter of two days and he couldn’t be happier.

“Biscuit! Down!” he commanded.

“Holy shit,” Penelope whispered, and Colin knew that was it.  He turned Penelope around in his arms and he saw her eyes, her irises nearly black, her breathing shallow.

“Penelope…”

She didn’t have a chance to say his name, knowing exactly what he wanted.  Her arms were around his neck and as soon as he finished saying the last syllable of her name, her lips were on his.

His arms tightened around her waist as he returned the kiss, her soft moans giving him life.  She was everything he had ever wanted in a woman.  And as soon as he told her who he was, he hoped she would feel the same way.

 “Penelope…” he whispered when he pulled away for air.

“Shh,” she whispered, attacking his jaw, the stubble tickling her lips.  Her hold around him tightened, and she was pushed further into him when Biscuit tried to get in on the action.

Colin and Penelope broke apart, their laughter filling the room.  “Biscuit! Down boy!” Colin cried, Penelope’s forehead resting against his chest.  When Biscuit stopped, Colin took Penelope’s hand and said, “Come with me.”

He led her to the couch and pulled her into his lap.  Biscuit hopped onto the couch next to them and Colin put his hand behind Penelope to reach Biscuit so he could stroke his back.  She moved his chin toward her face and said, “Where were we?” before kissing him again.

“Penelope, wait.  I have to tell you something.”

“Oh! Oh God! You have a girlfriend, don’t you?” she cried, trying to push herself off him.

“What? No! I’m very single, but I hope to not be for long.  It just depends on how you react to what I have to tell you.”

“Oh,” she said, her face red with embarrassment.  “What is it?”

“It’s about my job.  I think you should know who I am.  I’m Colin Bridgerton.”

She giggled.  “I know that, silly.”

“No, I mean, I’m Colin Bridgerton .  Or Colin Christopher Bridgerton if you go back far enough.”

“Wait, you’re Colin Christopher Bridgerton?” she asked.  “I watched a few episodes of your show, Aubrey Hall , as a kid! But only at a friend’s house, I didn’t have cable growing up.”

“You don’t go to the movies now?” he asked.

“No?”

“Ah.”

“I’m sorry.  Is that a deal breaker or something?”

“What? No! I actually love that you don’t know who I am.  Or didn’t, until now.  It means you actually like me for me, and not because of who I am.”

“How could I not? You are kind and sweet and wonderful.”

“Aren’t you forgetting vain and conceited?” he grinned.

“Oh yes.  Those go without saying,” she laughed.  Biscuit whined, feeling left out of her list and she laughed again.  “How could I possibly forget you?” she asked him, scratching behind his ears.  “And you are the best dog dad to Biscuit.”

Colin gave her a big smile.  “You have no idea how happy that makes me.  This is all uncharted territory to me.  Everyone seems to want something from me, and I get so tired of it.  I just want to be myself, and I can only do that with my family, but it’s hard because I hardly see them.”

“I’m sorry, Colin.  That must be so hard.”

“It is, but we FaceTime a lot.  I have a feeling this will be hard, too.”

“What will?”

“You.  Me.  Us.  I like you, Penelope Featherington.”

“And I like you, Colin Bridgerton.”

He shook his head.  “No, I mean I really like you.  I have never felt such a connection with anyone before.  I want to tell you everything about myself. My deepest, darkest secrets.  My hopes and fears.”

“I want you to feel comfortable enough to do those things.  I will never pressure you into telling me things about yourself.  I want to be your safe space and your refuge from the world.”

“I think you already are.”

“I’m so glad,” she said, brushing the hair off his forehead.

“We will need to discuss the future at a later date, of course, but right now, I just want to enjoy our time together.”

“Me too.  And speaking of dates, are we still on for lunch tomorrow?”

“Actually, I was wondering how you felt about breakfast.  Because honestly, now that everything's out in the open between us, I would very much like to keep kissing you while we cuddle.  If that’s okay with you, of course.”

“What about dessert?” she teased.

“I’d rather have you,” he grinned, nipping at her jaw.

“I’ll have to think about it,” she said as she readjusted in his lap.

“Let me help you with your decision,” he whispered just before kissing her again.

******

Two Years Later

"Ah, welcome back to Dreams Resorts, Mr. and Mrs. Bridgerton! And you too, Biscuit!" the manager said, reaching down to give him a treat.

"Hola, José! It's wonderful to be back!" Colin said with a warm smile.  "Is the suite ready? Or should I take my bride on a walk around the resort?"

"It's all ready, Sir.  Room 2013, The Honeymoon Suite."

"Thank you, José.  Ready, darling?" Colin asked, turning to Penelope.

"Yeah.  Are you ready, my love?”

"Oh, I was actually talking to Biscuit," he said, laughing.

“That’s okay, so was I," she replied.  “He is my first love, after all.

“Hey!” he cried, trying to grab her.  She scooted around him though, and ran out of the lobby, giggling the entire time.

Biscuit barked and Colin smiled as he watched his wife run down the stairs and across the path.  Holding Biscuit's collar, Colin unclipped his leash.  "You know the drill, boy.  Go get her."