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"Eloise!"
Colin grimaces giving his younger sister a dirty look as he opens his bedroom door without even knocking.
Eloise growls annoyed at the intrusion and throws a pillow at him "What the hell are you doing in my room?"
Colin furrows his eyebrows dodging the attack and observing the place "I wouldn't be in your room if you didn't get my stuff out when I'm on a trip."
Colin walks into the room and grabs his headphones from his sister's desk.
Eloise rolls her eyes turning her gaze back to the book in her hands and ignores his presence.
Colin is about to leave until scribbles on a list on Eloise's desk catch his attention.
Seven familiar names, among friends of his and his siblings, others crossed out, surrounded by drawings and stickers of hearts and emojis.
Colin smiles "I don't understand why you have this list of kisses. You're already in college Eloise" he scoffs.
His sister squeals in annoyance but doesn't get up "Go away! don't be nosy!"
Colin ignores her again and takes the list in his hands while grimacing as he comprehends the contents of the paper.
"This is disgusting El, don't tell me you got involved with these idiots, I thought you were dating Phillip?"
Eloise rolls her eyes "I don't care what you say, you're such an idiot anyway you're not even able to make out the handwriting."
Colin furrows his eyebrows and looks at the sheet of paper again.
This was not Eloise's handwriting.
The finish was delicate and rounded, giving it an elegant look, completely different from the scribbles his sister usually wrote.
Then it was obvious to him and a growing unease began to invade his stomach.
"Why the hell does Penelope have a list of these idiots' names?"
Eloise looks at him through narrowed eyes as Colin looks even more disgusted than when he thought the list was hers.
The names of these names now instead of displeasing, infuriate him.
Fife, Debling, Cho, Anderson, even Michael Strailing?
Had Penelope even exchanged words with them? And if so at what point was it?
Her sister stands up and begins to push Colin away from her room.
Though his strength can't compare, he lets himself be dragged away annoyed enough not to fight his sister.
"It's none of your business, you've barely been here a week and you're nosing around, better go plan another trip" She yells when he has left the room before slamming the door against his face.
Colin stays behind the door as he frowns.
~~~~~
Another Bridgerton game night brings Penelope and Colin together, plus all her family and a few other friends.
He had spent all afternoon thinking about how to approach the subject of the kissing list and how he would react when he knew the reality behind it.
He decided then that he would wait for tonight.
Talking about it in person was the best option.
Colin likewise pauses before cornering Penelope for himself especially when he sees her for the first time after almost a year.
She barely posts any pictures on social media unlike him who considered himself a major influencer, she is mysterious and completely different from what you would expect from a girl her age.
And he loves that about her.
Colin feels like he could choke on his own saliva when she walks in and dazzles him, leaving him dumbfounded.
She's eighteen and he's twenty, he shouldn't feel so thrilled when he sees her in a floral dress that accentuates her already mature and well-proportioned curves unlike a few years ago.
Now she sported an hourglass figure, with a full, heart-shaped neckline accentuating her body.
She had grown up and grown up beautifully, all woman.
Penelope is smiling as always, greets and talks to Eloise, then Francesca, exchanges pleasantries with Bendedict and then engages in a long chat with Kate and her mother.
Colin had always thought of himself as a patient man until again Eloise again takes his time.
With the stealth of a snake Colin approaches his brother-in-law and favorite brother - Phillip Crane.
"Brother, I need you to get your girlfriend away from Penelope."
Phillip is startled when he notices the third brother arrive out of nowhere and looks at him suspiciously.
Why did his beloved's family have to be so strange?
"Why?" the man asks in a whisper.
Colin doesn't want to explain as he looks at him with puppy dog eyes "Please."
Crane looks at the third brother and can't help but buy the look on his face with Eloise's, though his eyes were a different color there was something familiar about them that he found amusing.
The man denies himself before agreeing to take his girlfriend away from her best friend.
Colin watches the scene from a corner, as Phillip talks to Eloise and as his sister's eyes light up, he apologizes to Penelope who smiles understandingly at him.
Penelope is left alone and Colin knows it's only a matter of seconds before anyone wants to be in her company so he grabs a glass of lemonade and walks over pretending to look in another direction.
"Colin!"
She's the one who recognizes him first and he feigns surprise.
"Pen I didn't see you!"
"I tend to get lost in people" she laughs lightly.
"It's because you're small" he jokes offering her the glass of lemonade.
She smiles warmly "It's good to see you".
"Thank you Pen, it's good to see you too, you look very pretty."
A blush covers her cheeks and Colin thinks it's adorable "Thank you"
"Pen"
"Yes?"
"Why do you have a list of boys names?"
Penelope chokes on her lemonade as her cheeks flush "What?"
"I saw the list by quality in Eloise's room" she admits running a hand behind her neck.
He didn't want Penelope to think he was nosy but he was worried about her.
Penelope looks in different directions and finally nods.
Colin grimaces "Don't tell me you've kissed those guys, I couldn't stand it" he asks pleadingly.
Penelope recoils as she averts her gaze "It's not that."
"What is it?" He is anxious to know.
Penelope's blush passes from her face to her cleavage looking too embarrassed and he regrets that but his desire to know what Penelope's relationship was with those men was even greater.
"They are possible kisses" she murmurs covering her face with her hands.
"This is embarrassing."
Colin is about to speak but she interrupts him.
"I've never kissed a guy before, I'm about to enter my freshman year of college and I'd like to kiss a guy before I do it"
Colin thinks she doesn't need to, that she could kiss whoever she wants and at the same time it makes the discomfort in his stomach increase.
"I'm pathetic."
"You're not pathetic."
"You're just saying that because you're nice"
"I'm serious"
"I'm a fool"
"You're not dumb, you're the smartest girl I know."
Penelope looks up meeting Colin's green eyes.
He wonders if she can hear his heart beating as loudly as he does.
She closes her eyes overwhelmed by the depth of Colin Bridgerton's eyes.
"There is something I don't understand though" Colin's voice pulls her out of the reverie of her gaze causing her to look at him worriedly.
"What is it?"
"Why did you think of them and not .... Other people?"
Penelope sees some disappointment in his gaze that she doesn't understand and simply shrugs "I don't know, I just wanted a kiss."
"And Strailing seemed like a good candidate?" Colin asks teasingly.
Penelope frowns not understanding his tone "It's none of your business Colin."
Colin averts his gaze, it certainly wasn't his business, while he considered Penelope his friend, they weren't even very familiar with each other.
She is about to claim again but Colin interrupts her when he takes her arm and drags her towards the back garden of the house.
Penelope allows herself to be dragged uncomprehendingly until they reach a dark area barely illuminated by the lights from inside the house.
"What are you doing?" She whispers as he closes the distance between them.
"While I understand your reasons for wanting to be kissed, I'm not going to let you do it with those idiots" Colin is firm.
Penelope doesn't understand "Excuse me?"
"Your first kiss has to be something memorable, something nice that you remember, you can't just consider those jerks."
Penelope crosses her arms annoyed.
"I don't mean to sound rude but, Colin this is none of your business."
"I know."
Colin is frustrated as he runs his hand over his face, he didn't expect her to understand when even he didn't understand why his feelings were rising when he thought of Penelope kissing one of the men on his list or any man for that matter.
But he's not willing to back down when despite not understanding her feelings, he's very clear about something.
He wouldn't let Penelope Featherington kiss just anyone.
"But I care about you, you can't even consider those men, they're no good or worthy for you."
He really wanted to...
"What do you think of Benedict?" Penelope interrupts his thoughts.
Colin looks at her dumbfounded, too disconnected, he wasn't expecting that question "Excuse me?"
Penelope blushes "I mean, you said it must be someone good."
"And it's Ben who comes to mind?" Colin is outraged.
He suddenly looked hurt and Penelope can't help but smile slightly at how twisted the whole thing is.
She shrugs "It's just a kiss."
"No Pen."
Colin shortens the distance between them even more.
Penelope feels her pulse quicken as Colin positions his hand on her cheeks caressing with his thumb she closes her eyes at the contact.
"What about me?" he licks his lips before moving closer to her face.
Penelope opens her eyes and looks at him blankly "What?"
"Why didn't you think of me?"
She blushes and averts her gaze
"Colin, you're my friend."
Colin swallows before licking his bottom lip feeling overwhelmed.
"I know, but..."
Colin sighs before muttering.
"I just want to make sure your first kiss is with someone who loves you."
Penelope looks at him in surprise and before mentioning anything about it, Colin presses his lips against hers.
Their eyes automatically close and they both begin to move their mouths in awkward synchronization at first.
Colin opens his mouth and Penelope mimics him by taking his hips and presses his body against hers.
Penelope positions her hands on his chest intensifying the kiss.
Colin moans and they both open their mouths over each other, from one moment to the next, Colin's hands come down to her ass making her moan now.
Penelope lifts her arms and slips them behind Colin's neck wanting to increase the contact even more.
Colin bites her lower lip before slipping his tongue in and touching hers, heated sighs come from both bodies as they caress each other for more.
They both wanted more.
A sudden change in acoustics brings them out of their reverie.
They both look in the direction of the window where the music has changed abruptly, causing them to separate.
Colin still doesn't let go of her hips when Penelope has lowered her arms.
They both look at each other, flushed and puffy-lipped.
Penelope pulls back and Colin doesn't let go of her.
"I..." Colin wants to say something, anything, maybe say nothing and feel the softness of her body against his again, something.
But she interrupts him before she takes any action, she breaks away abruptly.
"Thank you Colin" she murmurs smiling before rushing away.
Colin is stunned watching her curvaceous figure walk away, leaving Colin with the most empty feeling he had ever felt in his life.
He didn't quite know how, but something had changed inside him forever.