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Colin is tired. The semester feels like it has lasted forever, and he’s still got another few weeks to go. The weather turning cold and rainy, rainy even for England, and the darkness of the fall season has gotten to him as well. He never does great with the change into the dark season.
The end of the tunnel is coming up though, he can see it in the distance.
He just has to turn in his final paper for his astronomy class, and sit through finals in one other class. He can do it. And in classic Colin style, he’s even early with starting the paper. The sooner he can hand it in, the sooner he’ll be done with it. That’s what he’s telling himself. As if he won’t spend every last moment he can find to work on it until it’s due.
It’s the reason he’s at the library this afternoon. Having just found himself a spot to set up not far from the astronomy section, he heads into the shelves to pull some books for references.
Any references he needs to finish the paper could be found online, he’s pretty sure. But working with the physical copies of books always works a lot better for him, Colin has found through his first two years at university. He gets too easily distracted when he’s got a web browser open, and suddenly he’s doing anything but work on whatever project he’s supposed to be concentrating on. Cat gifs and memes are much more tempting than astronomy or most of the other subjects he’s been through.
Being disturbed by the group chat with his siblings is also a problem, which is why he’s remembered to mute it today. He wants to get a solid start on this paper before he wraps up the course work for the day.
Pushing his square glasses up the bridge of his nose, Colin leaves his spot and steps into the tall shelves, all filled with books. Finger running over book spines, he tries to locate the titles he needs to get the job done.
The tiny hand that suddenly appears on his right, snatching a book off the shelf almost makes him jump in surprise. Almost.
Turning, he finds a tiny girl - calling her a girl isn’t right, he quickly realizes - holding one of the titles he’s there for.
The not-girl smiles at him, clever eyes holding his gaze. She’s tiny compared to him, possibly only 5 feet tall. Her red curls shine beautifully, even in the harsh light of the library. And other parts, Colin can only glance at before swallowing hard. Definitely not a girl. She’s a woman.
Is that thigh high stockings she’s wearing?
“Sorry, but I really need this,” she tells him, her voice sweet but firm, interrupting his not so sweet thoughts.
Colin opens and closes his mouth once, nothing coming out for a moment. “I was looking for that,” he states plainly. One hand gesturing towards her.
“You can have it after.”
“What? You practically stole it from me,” Colin argues, finally finding his words. “I’m not letting you walk off with that.” It’s his first stand down in the library, but he’s not going to let her run off with the book he needs. He had it first. More or less.
“Did not.” She shifts her stance, feet planted wide on the floor. As if he’s about to try and run her down. He’s not letting her leave with the book that’s his, but he is a gentleman. He’d never hurt her.
Her arms move to cross under her chest, pushing her breasts up and together with the movement, looking as if they’d spill out of the hem of her dark green peasant dress any moment now. Fuck.
“Did too.”
Colin takes his own stance, straightening his slightly hunched back and neck, looking down at her from his 6’1 height.
Something seems to shift in her then, a clever smile slipping onto her lips.
“Come and get it then.”
It’s a challenge if there ever was one. Her clever smile turns wicked.
“I’m not going to fight you,” Colin tells her, exasperated.
This girl, he’s just met her. Doesn’t even know her name. But she’s driving him mad.
“I wasn’t expecting you to.”
“Then may I please have the book?” He tries to ask her nicely, but the exasperation is probably still laced in his tone.
She eyes him for a moment, seemingly thinking something over. “For a price.”
Colin laughs. This is extortion. She wants him to pay for a library book that she stole from the shelf right under his nose. “That’s not likely to happen.”
“Kiss me, and it’s yours.”
He’s about to fight her on it, but stops himself just in time. Eyeing her. She’s clearly pleased with herself by the look on her face, so sure of herself. And dammit if he doesn’t find it just a little bit attractive. Plenty attractive, actually. She holds herself with confidence, a confidence he struggles with finding in himself.
The pine green dress she’s wearing shows off her curves and brings out the colour of her hair. The thigh high black socks she’s wearing reveal just a few centimeters of smooth peachy skin between the top and the hem of her dress. And fuck, she’s actually really attractive.
“So?” She’s looking up at Colin through black lashes.
He doesn’t deign her with an answer, instead moving close and lower in a quick move, lips meeting her inviting pink lips in an experimental kiss.
Colin has been kissed before. He’s a Bridgerton, he’s tall and he’s not bad looking. But he’s never kissed a girl blackmailing him before. Or someone so tiny compared to him. Nor really a girl so… infuriating and hot.
It’s over before he’s ready for it to be. Her drawing back enough to leave about a foot of air in between them.
But the redhead is smiling up at him, showing the offending book into his chest. “Here, you can have this then.”
Colin only blinks at her, his brain not caught up after the kiss. Still lingering on the thought of her soft lips on his own.
“And yes, you may buy me a coffee.” She bites her lower lip, looking expectedly up at him.
“Yeah, uh. Coffee.” His face is flushed, a little bothered by their kiss. In the good way.
“Penelope, by the way.”
Colin looks perplexed down at her, still not quite following. “Huh?”
“My name. It's Penelope.”
She settles in the seat next to his. Colin buys her, Penelope, a coffee. And they share the blasted astronomy book for the afternoon, and she checks it out of the library as they wrap up their study session. And when she claims he’ll have to pay her again if he wants to share it for a study date, Colin doesn’t argue with her.