PYEWACKET - Chapter 4 (A Polin Fic)
Read it from the beginning on AO3 or here
Complete
Penelope is in love with Colin.
Colin is in love with Penelope.
Both think that their love is unrequited and don't want to act upon their feelings in case it ruins their friendship.
Enter, Pyewacket...
My submission for Polinween Week 2 - 'What's a Little Fur Between Friends'
Pairing: Colin/Penelope
Rating: Mature for this chapter
Bridgerton Modern AU
Chapter 4 - …Company’s Coming
Penelope splashed some cold water on her face and patted it down with a towel careful not to ruin any of her make-up.
She could hear the music playing loudly beyond her bathroom door gripped the edge of the basin as she took a deep calming breath. She’d give herself a few more minutes before heading back out, she decided.
A lot had happened over the past couple of days. The final edits for her book had taken longer than she’d anticipated, mainly because they’d kept being returned with further ‘suggestions’. She knew it was Fife’s petty revenge for her dumping her glass of wine on him, but it had to be done and now, finally, her book was complete.
To add to that, her boiler had gone wrong and she’d had to get that dealt with very quickly.
Her mother had called. Enough said there.
And throughout it all, there had been Colin.
Dear, sweet, love of her life, frustratingly contradictory, Colin.
The day after he’d told her that their kiss had meant something to him, she’d spent half the time editing and half the time distracted just thinking about him. About that kiss. About how she really wanted to tell him that she felt the same - but found herself too scared to do so.
What if she’d completely misread the signs?
Because, it was good that it meant something to him, right? They were friends. It’d be strange if it didn’t mean something. Whether it was the same something that she felt was another matter. One that she should really sit down and talk to him about.
Or maybe just text him.
She’d known he would be in meetings with his own publisher that day but apart from a brief ‘good luck with your editing’ message, she’d not heard from him.
And so, she’d typed out and then deleted, ‘It meant something to me, too, Colin,’ so many times that day that she’d lost count.
She’d just sent another edit off to Fife and typed out that sentence yet again, when Pye had literally taken the decision out of her hands.
He’d jumped up on her desk and knocked the phone out of her hands then laid down on it. It wasn’t until she’d been able to move him off that she’d realised, to her horror, that her message had been sent.
And read.
She’d not been quite sure what response she’d expected to get from him, but the perfunctory, ‘Good’, he’d eventually sent back, really hadn’t been it.
She hadn’t heard from him again until that evening. A short message asking if she were still working. Unfortunately, she had been, Fife seemingly determined to ask for changes up until her deadline.
The following day she’d had to get an engineer in to fix her boiler and when that was done, she’d gone to get some last minute shopping for her party. As she’d been putting it away, Colin had called.
She’d answered a little cautiously but, whether he’d realised or not, it didn’t come through over the phone in his voice. His really, quite overbright voice as he’d invited her out to join him and some of his siblings for a drink at the pub.
Her desire to see him had really outweighed any potential for awkwardness and so she’d accepted. If it’d felt weird at any point, then she could have just talked to Eloise or her sister, Francesca. But it hadn’t been. The evening had been wonderfully, perfectly, aggravatingly…normal.
Sure, Colin had laughed at her jokes a little louder than others – normal. Certainly, the only seat left by the time she’d got there was next to Colin as they all crammed around a table not nearly big enough for the eight of them – normal. And, yes, okay, he did put his arm around the back of her chair and lean into her a little bit while they were sat closely together – but that was normal for them too…
Their chatter had been friendly. Light. Easy. Normal.
So much so that by the time he’d walked her to her door, while Eloise and Phillip had waited for him in their shared taxi, she’d been caught completely off guard when he’d finally spoken about it.
“Thank you for your text,” he’d said with a small smile. Then he’d taken in a noticeable breath and exhaled before adding softly, “I think we need to talk, don’t you? Maybe after your party tomorrow? When everyone’s gone. Just you and me.”
Penelope had stared back at him while her heart raced. It hadn’t even occurred to her to suggest another time. Another day. She’d simply nodded her agreement, then he’d grinned, leaned forward and pressed a gentle, lingering kiss to her cheek before he’d turned on his heel and left.
She’d had a surprisingly good night’s rest after that, all things considered, once she’d finally fallen asleep.
And, even better, she’d started the day with a message from Colin. It was only to say that he, Eloise and Phillip would be over earlier that evening, but it had still made her heart miss when she’d seen his name come up. They would be bringing extra booze and some spooky themed cupcakes that Eloise had ordered from Danbury’s especially.
The anticipation of seeing him had grown throughout the day. She’d had her hair and nails done then picked up her costume for that evening from a local party hire shop.
She’d decided on a witch’s outfit and she wasn’t even going to kid herself that it was for any other reason than because Colin had suggested it all those months ago. Although when she’d put it on, she didn’t think it could be classed as ‘sexy’.
The black dress fitted well, the satiny material hugging her curves lovingly. The neckline was a little lower than she normally wore, showing some cleavage but the skirt fell to her ankles. It certainly wasn’t the mini skirted, boob revealing attire that he’d likely envisioned when he’d made the quip, but that just wasn’t her.
Leaving off the hat, she had, instead, pulled back one side of her hair with a slide decorated with a large glittery back spider.
She’d then applied a dusting of eye shadow for a smoky look, added some black mascara and finished off with a bright red glossy lipstick. Satisfied with her appearance, she’d gone downstairs and fed Pye.
Shortly after, Colin, Eloise and Phillip had arrived.
Eloise had decided on a Poison Ivy costume and looked amazing. Phillip had come as a gardener.
“He’s going to have a dig around in my patch later,” Eloise had said earning a groan of dismay from her brother.
And Colin…well, Colin had turned up dressed as a cross between Mr Darcy and a pirate.
He’d walked in holding a case of John Smith’s bitter, wearing a long brown greatcoat that swirled around his legs and all the breath had left her body for a moment.
She’d never had any inclination whatsoever to write a period romance but seeing him dressed like that suddenly sent her mind, and other parts, into overdrive.
“Wow,” he’d breathed as soon as he’d set eyes upon her. He’d dumped the beer on the kitchen counter then walked straight over to her and grabbed her hand. She’d let out a surprised giggle as he’d twirled her around and grinned up at him when she faced him once more. “You look just…wow,” he’d repeated earnestly, his gaze appreciative as it’d run slowly down, then back up her body.
She’d felt her cheeks grow warm at his compliment and had then given his own outfit a lingering look. From his ruffled bright white shirt, his grey patterned waistcoat and matching plain grey cravat to his form fitting trousers and long boots, he looked like he’d walked out of a regency fantasy novel. The greatcoat he’d topped it off with had given his ensemble a piratical air that had set off all kinds of inappropriate ‘walking his plank’ jokes whirling around in her mind.
“Thanks. So do you,” she’d finally settled on.
He’d grinned and leaned in towards her a moment.
“Wait, I haven’t shown you the best bit.”
He’d stepped back then and done his own quick spin, the coat swirling out and around him like a cape. It’d been clear from his delighted laugh that he loved it and Penelope had too. She’d already outlined at least three different stories in her head inspired by the coat alone.
A sudden knock on the door startled her out of her reverie and brought her rushing back to the present. Then she heard Colin’s concerned voice, muffled through the door.
“Pen? Are you okay?”
Not really.
Not at all, to be honest.
Because, of all the things on Penelope’s list of what could possibly go wrong at her party, Fife turning up unannounced and uninvited would have been at the
bottom. In fact, it wouldn’t have even made the list because she hadn’t thought he could be more of a complete twat than he’d already been.
Clearly, she’d underestimated him.
And Cressida, bloody, Cowper.
The Cowper’s ran the publishing house that Penelope had signed with three years ago. As such, she had sent the family an invite as a common courtesy. She should have known that Cressida would attend and want to cause trouble.
An editor herself, she’d refused to work with Penelope as she’d deemed her books ‘sentimental drivel’ and she only dealt with ‘serious authors’. Penelope didn’t care. In fact, she was pleased. To appreciate her writing, you’d need a heart and it was clear from the outset that Cressida didn’t actually possess one.
And so, she’d had a different editor for each of her books so far. That wasn’t a reflection on her or her writing, though, it was just that no one ever stayed that long at Cowper Publishing.
Except Fife. He’d been there years and had been tasked with editing her last book.
And it was her last book, she’d realised with sudden conviction as she’d stared at the obnoxious man who had been standing far too close and talking more to her breasts, than her. Not ever, of course. Just for Cowper Publishing.
She’d been dallying over signing the new book deal they’d offered her, but now her decision was made. She’d had other offers and it was time that she seriously considered them.
She’d managed to get away from Fife when Pye had accidentally knocked over one of the many brooms decorating the place. It had landed with quite a smack on his injured hand, causing him to jerk back and cry out in pain. He was in a sling for a sprained wrist sustained from a minor car accident he’d had the night they’d met for dinner. Something had run out in front of him causing him to swerve, apparently, and he’d put his car into a lamp post. The fact that he probably shouldn’t have been driving due to the amount of wine he’d drunk that night, seemed to have escaped the man. And worse, he’d decided it was all Penelope’s fault, somehow, for leaving him embarrassed like that in the restaurant. She really hadn’t followed his logic, she’d just been pleased to escape his drunken rambling.
“Penelope!”
Colin’s voice came again. Louder. Urgent and followed by more knocking.
“I’m fine. I’ll be right out.”
She gave her make-up one last quick check then turned and opened the door. Colin stood just on the other side, filling up the doorway. He’d taken his cravat off she noted absently as he ran a concerned glance over her and then seemed to relax a little.
“You sure you’re okay?” he queried. She nodded and then his expression hardened, anger evident in his tone even as he kept his voice low. “He’s gone. Eloise told me who he was, so I showed him out.”
Penelope’s eyes widened.
“Showed him out?” she repeated dubiously.
“Politely, but firmly,” Colin assured her before taking her hand and tugging her along behind him as he led her back downstairs to her party. “He was lucky. El was on her way to him, but I stopped her, otherwise it would have been carnage.”
Penelope let out a little giggle at that and felt some of her tension ease. She truly had the best friends. She stopped walking and gave his hand squeeze. He stopped too and turned to give her a questioning look.
“Thank you,” she said with a tremulous smile.
Colin took a step closer and grasped her other hand as well. He shook his head as though he didn’t quite understand.
“You don’t have to thank me, Pen. I’ll always look out for you.”
He looked so sincere, so earnest and made the statement as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Perhaps it was for him. Perhaps she was just starting the realise that. Believe it, even.
“What the hell was that dickhead doing here?”
Colin felt Penelope jump at the sound of his sister’s voice and knew the moment was ruined. She’d just been looking at him in a way he’d only dreamed of, so when she quickly pulled her hands away, he was disappointed, but not wholly surprised.
“Cressida Cowper brought him as her ‘date’,” she replied unhappily.
“I should’ve known,” Eloise declared with a derisive snort. “She’s been a nasty bit of work ever since you signed with them.”
“Yeah.” Penelope took in a breath and exhaled slowly as she looked at the throng of people still partying. “I suppose I’d better find her and tell her that her ‘boyfriend’ has left.”
“I can do it,” Colin offered quickly.
“No, it should be me,” Penelope told him, determination colouring her voice.
Colin nodded and stepped aside as she headed off to find Cressida. Every part of him wanted to follow her and tell that bloody woman where to go himself but he held back and watched her instead.
She moved with purpose and from where he stood with Eloise and Phillip, he could see that she’d found Cressida in the kitchen. The blonde woman was obviously unhappy and the nasty, condescending look on her face had Colin shuffling his feet with the desire to go and intervene.
“Penelope will be fine,” Eloise assured him confidently. “I think she’s been wanting to say a few things to that woman for a while now.”
Once again, Colin was aware that he wasn’t privy to the problems that Penelope had been having with her publisher’s. It rankled him to think that he hadn’t been around for her more.
But that was going to change now.
He’d spent the last couple of days alternating between meetings about his new book and looking at houses. The lease was coming to an end on his flat and he’d decided to buy instead. He was finally going to put down some roots and stop travelling quite so much. He couldn’t wait to tell Penelope. It was just one of the many things he wanted to talk to her about later that evening.
“I know she’ll be fine, but that doesn’t stop me wanting to go and help,” he muttered back sourly.
Eloise looked at him and smiled.
“The fact that you aren’t, will mean far more to her than you going in all White Knight on her, you know that, right?”
Colin glanced at her and nodded. He did know. Still didn’t stop the urge though. An urge that grew the more Cressida got into Penelope’s face saying something that clearly made the red-head’s head drop.
And then he saw Pyewacket jump up onto the kitchen counter by the side of the two women.
“Perhaps someone should’ve given him that memo,” he commented dryly, then winced as he saw the cat swipe out at Cressida.
Her resulting shriek as the blonde clutched at her arm was very satisfying. She went to retaliate but Pye arched his back and hissed causing her to step back instead. They saw Penelope pick him up and hold him to her as she pointed Cressida to the door.
“Told you he was her bloody bodyguard,” Eloise said with a smug smile. Then she turned to Colin and shook her head, eyes narrowing. “I still don’t get why he’s okay with you though.”
Colin shrugged and gave her a sardonic smile.
“Maybe he just likes me.”
Eloise scoffed at that.
“You could be right,” Phillip offered from her side. “Or maybe he knows that your feelings are sincere.”
“Oh, don’t tell me that you’ve bought into this ridiculousness, Phillip?” Colin groaned. “You’re a scientist for God’s sake.”
“Scientist or not, I just know that cat is odd.”
Colin couldn’t argue with that and nor did he want to as Penelope was heading their way carrying Pye.
“Oh God, did you see what happened?” she asked worriedly as soon as she joined them.
“Nothing more than that cow deserved,” said Eloise then gave Pye a little rub behind the ears and cooed, “What a good boy.”
“El, he drew blood! She was threatening all sorts.”
“Over a scratch?” Eloise scoffed. “If I’d been there, she would’ve had worse than that to moan about.”
Penelope looked at her then let out a sudden laugh. The tension visibly drained from her face and she shook her head.
“At least she’s gone,” she sighed in relief, “and soon I won’t have anything more to do with her or that rotten company. I’ve decided to change publishers.”
“So you should! You’re too bloody good for them anyway,” Colin told her crossly.
He was fuming about Cressida and now didn’t feel quite so bad about seeing Fife out the way he did. He hadn’t lied, exactly. He had been polite – very polite. He just hadn’t mentioned that while he’d pleasantly asked the prat to leave, he’d also been dragging him through the house and then shoved him out of the door. There had been a tiny part of him that had worried he might have put Penelope in an awkward position, but he’d been prepared to deal with it himself should the need arise. But now it didn’t matter. She was leaving anyway.
“You know I don’t like to agree with Colin, but this time he’s absolutely right,” Eloise concurred with a nod.
“The world must be ending,” Penelope quipped.
The women and Phillip began to laugh and Colin felt his bad humour evaporate as he joined in with them.
Annoyed by the jostling, Pye wriggled to be let go and Penelope put him down gently on the floor. When she straightened, Eloise and Phillip were gone and Colin was holding out his hand to her with a grin.
“Why don’t we take that amazing dress of yours for a spin on the dancefloor?”
Her eyes widened and she glanced down at herself before looking back up at him.
“Okay.”
There was a breathless quality to her voice that sent a little thrill around his body. She placed her hand in his and he weaved his way through the small number of people that were bopping away to a well-known eighties tune. Just as they found themselves some space, the music changed and a slow song came on.
“Perfect timing,” Colin murmured.
He pulled her into his arms and let out a sigh of contentment as they began to sway to the music. She ran her hands slowly up his chest until they rested on his shoulders and his arms tightened around her waist, pulling her even more flush against him. She felt so warm, so soft, so right. Like she’d been born to fit against him so perfectly. He stared deep into her crystal blue eyes and swore his heart was beating so loud that she must be able to hear it. His gaze dropped to her mouth and her lips parted. He heard her breathe his name and suddenly it was just the two of them as the music faded away. He glanced into her eyes once more and she tilted her head up invitingly before he slowly started to lean down towards her…
“Penelope! I need your help. You have to tell me who she is.”
Colin froze then looked up with a frown as their surroundings came sharply back into focus.
“Benedict,” he gritted out angrily.
“I know. I know, I’m sorry, but this is rather urgent, brother,” Benedict snapped back.
“It better be,” he groused unhappily.
Then he took a moment to actually look at his brother and realised that he really was in quite a state. He’d arrived dressed as Zorro but his mask was gone and his normally perfect hair was a mess as though he’d been raking his hands through it. His eyes were panicked and constantly darting around the room. There was a palpable air of agitation about him that felt wrong coming from one who was normally so laid-back. Concern replaced annoyance and as Penelope moved out of his embrace, he gripped the older man’s arm to try and ground him.
“Who are you talking about?” Penelope asked.
“The woman in the silver dress. Dark hair, gorgeous brown eyes, mask. We were talking out in the garden, had an amazing kiss and then she said she needed to go to the ladies room and didn’t come back. I need to find her, Penelope. What’s her name?”
“I don’t know,” she replied apologetically, “I thought she came with someone. I’ve never seen her before.”
Concern ebbed away and annoyance flooded back as Colin let go of his brother’s arm. He interrupted them just because some woman had ditched him?
“I think if she left without giving you her name, you should probably take it for the hint it is,” he told him irately.
“I swear it wasn’t like that,” Benedict refuted. “I know this sounds crazy but…I think she could be the one, you know? That kiss…,” he paused, lost in the memory it seemed, “that kiss was everything. And she was funny and clever and she liked me too. I’m certain that she did.”
Colin had glanced at Penelope when Benedict had spoken of the kiss and she’d smiled at him then looked away. It seemed he wasn’t the only one in his family to have been similarly affected by a kiss.
“Maybe she didn’t feel well and had to leave,” Penelope suggested.
Benedict nodded but still didn’t seem that appeased.
“Thanks. I think I’m going to go too. It’s been a lovely party, Penelope.”
He gave her a brief peck on the cheek and Colin a nod, then turned and walked away.
“Well, I never thought I’d see the day,” Colin mused as they stared after him.
“Me either,” Penelope agreed in disbelief. She glanced over at him and then let out a sigh. “I’d better go mingle. Maybe I can find out who the mystery woman is at the same time.”
Colin nodded and watched her walk off. He headed into the kitchen area and got himself a drink. Leaning against the kitchen counter, his gaze followed her as she moved around the room chatting to her friends. Pyewacket jumped up beside him and he absently fussed the cat as continued to watch Penelope.
None of her family had come. That wasn’t a surprise really. A couple of her old editors had turned up which was nice. Naturally some of his siblings had come. Apart from Eloise and Benedict, Francesca and Hyacinth had also turned up.
She laughed at something someone said and he felt his blood heat up. She looked so beautiful. Her fiery hair a stark contrast to the black dress that clung snugly to every damn curve. It had felt so silky under his fingers when they’d danced that he’d had a hard time not running his hands all over her.
He shifted slightly as his own body reacted to his wayward thoughts and he did his best to shut them down. They needed to talk. Before anything else, that was the most important thing. And as much as he’d like to do all kinds of delectable things to her, that would wait until they were both ready. Well, until Penelope was ready because he’d been sitting at that station for a long time.
An hour and half later the party was winding down and the last of her guests were leaving.
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Eloise had whispered in his ear as she’d hugged him goodbye.
“That doesn’t leave much,” he’d retorted dryly.
“Exactly.”
She given him and wink and grin over Penelope’s shoulder as she’d hugged her too and then she and Phillip had left.
Once Colin and Penelope were alone, she turned the music off and the silence it left behind was weirdly more deafening than the throbbing beat mere seconds before.
They’d stared at each other for a moment but now that the time had come for their talk, Colin felt unsure how to begin. A look of disappointment flickered across her face and then she looked away and started to clean up. He watched as she methodically picked up dirty paper plates and used plastic glasses and took them over to the kitchen. She got out a large bin bag and shook it out, the sound of the rustling plastic overly loud in the quiet house.
Colin bent and grabbed a few of the used glasses and plates near him and walked over to throw them in the bag as well. As he drew near, Pye stepped out to rub against his legs and he stumbled over him, just about keeping upright.
“Nearly went,” he commented with a laugh and the tension between them eased as she joined in.
“Shall I put the kettle on?” she asked once he’d dumped his rubbish in the bag. “We can finish tidying and then sit down with a nice cup of tea and talk. If you still want to, that is?”
“Yes, I want to. Of course I want to,” he assured her with a fervent nod.
She smiled then turned to fill the kettle and switched it on. While it heated up, they continued to work but each time he got near to her, Pye would invariably be around his feet. He stumbled over him twice more, to his growing frustration and Penelope’s delighted amusement, before the cat got so entangled around his ankles that he finally felt himself fall.
He let out a cry of surprise and Penelope immediately rushed forward to stop him, but she was too late. The weight of his forward momentum took her down with him and they landed on the floor with a combined ‘oof’ with Colin sprawled on top of her, rubbish scattered everywhere.
“Christ, sorry,” he muttered apologetically as he pulled his head back to look down at her.
Penelope couldn’t help herself and began to laugh. The whole situation was ridiculous and if she didn’t know better, she’d swear that Pye had been getting in his way on purpose.
After a moment, he joined in her laughter and she briefly relished the feel of his body on hers before he pushed up on his hands in order to stand. Beyond him she could see Pye sitting on top of the kitchen counter, watching them, but he suddenly got up as Colin moved. Realising what he was going to do, she opened her mouth to warn him but it was too late. Pye leapt off the counter and Colin let out a startled ‘oh’ as the cat landed square in middle of his shoulders, pushing his him back down towards her.
Their lips grazed and suddenly laughter was the last thing on her mind. He stilled and drew in a sharp breath as he stared down at her intently. For a moment she thought…hoped he might kiss her, but to her frustration, he suddenly blinked and, with another mumbled apology, went to move away again.
This time, she didn’t let him.
She brought her hand up and cupped the back of his head, her fingers sinking into his soft hair. Their hot breaths mingled, deepening as desire took hold. For a moment he hovered above her, dark blue eyes questioning and then she pulled him down and touched her lips to his.
If their kiss at Christmas had been a spark, then this was the flame.
Colin groaned, his hand coming up to delve into her silky curls, cushioning her head from the tiled floor as their lips met in a feverish exchange. Penelope tore her mouth away from his, breathing hard as she stared at him. His eyes were so dark they were almost black, glazed from desire. Her heart stuttered at the sight.
“What’s wrong?” he rasped.
“Bedroom. Now.”
Colin didn’t need telling twice. He quickly stood then grabbed her hands and pulled her to her feet. Then he was kissing her again as they stumbled over to the stairs and started to make their way up, still clinging to each other. Halfway up Penelope suddenly found herself lifted into his arms and carried the rest of the way to the top.
“Much quicker like this,” he’d managed to get out between fervent kisses.
Penelope moaned her agreement and opened the door once they made it to her room. He put her down on her feet they parted only long enough to pull at each others clothing, disrobing swiftly.
Soon they were only left in their underwear and Colin captured her lips again as he walked her backwards and onto the bed. She pulled him on top of her and revelled in the way he shuddered as she ran her hands over his shoulders and down his back. Cradled between her thighs she could feel how hard and hot he was for her already and her hips bucked up of their own accord, straining to get closer. He gasped at the contact, then trailed hot, open-mouthed kisses along her jaw and down her neck. She moaned as his hand cupped her breast and lightly squeezed.
It wasn’t enough.
She pushed lightly at his chest and he immediately moved back, his harsh breaths punctuating the air.
“Want to feel all of you,” she told him urgently.
He grunted a response then reached around to unclip her bra as she propped herself on her elbows.
“So bloody beautiful,” he murmured, flinging the undergarment aside.
He kissed her again, his hand moving back to her breast as she lay back down on the bed.
Penelope groaned and arched her back more firmly into his touch as he ran his thumb over her nipple sending sparks of desire straight to her core.
It still wasn’t enough. She wanted more. She wanted everything. And she didn’t want to wait.
“Make love to me, Colin,” she demanded when he broke away from her lips to take a breath. “Please.”
He let out a soft rumble of laughter, the soft hairs on his chest creating a delightful friction that set her skin on fire.
“Well, I know it’s been a while for me, but I thought I already was.”
Penelope’s eyes widened at that comment, but she decided to file that away for later.
“No, I mean now. I don’t want to wait.”
She rocked her hips against him again and he moaned.
“But I want to make this good for you, Pen,” he said gruffly, grinding against her lightly as he nuzzled her neck. “Want to make sure you’re ready.”
“God, Colin, I’ve been ready for you every time you’ve walked into the room for the last ten years,” she gasped out as he ground against her hitting just the right spot.
He stilled and his head snapped up to look at her in shock.
“Ten years?” he repeated faintly. He shook his head. “Pen…”
She stopped him talking with a hard kiss and hooked her thumbs in the waistband of his underwear, tugging them down over his backside.
He tore his mouth away from her and finished taking them off, then brushed her hands aside to quickly take her briefs off as well. His gaze was hot as it roamed over her nakedness and he couldn’t help but smile when he saw her staring at him with the same heated ardour. He slowly crawled back up her body with a smirk then she suddenly saw his smile fade and eyes widen in realisation.
“Oh, bloody hell, I don’t have a condom with me!”
It was a half groan, half whine and in another circumstance, Penelope would’ve laughed. But not tonight.
“I have,” she told him.
He let out a sigh of relief and sat back on his haunches as she leaned over to her bedside cabinet and opened the middle drawer. She reached in, then pulled out a handful of brightly coloured packets and dumped them on top of the cabinet.
There was a beat of silence as he stared at the small pile.
“That’s quite a haul you have there, Penelope,” he finally muttered, sounding slightly aggrieved.
“Philippa’s hen night. She gave us all a goody bag,” she explained.
“Oh. Right.”
“Do you want to pick one or shall I?” she asked, pointing at the packets.
He gave her a nod and she grabbed the nearest one then handed it to him. He used his teeth to rip it open and raised a brow as he pulled the condom out.
“Flavoured,” he remarked in surprise.
Before he could roll it on, Penelope deftly took it out of his hands, her lips curving up into a seductive smile. She’d once written a scene in one of her books that she’d always wanted to try out but had never had a partner she’d felt like doing it with – until now. Keeping eye contact, she reached out and curled her fingers around the long, rigid length of him. His breath stuttered as she slowly moved her hand up and then down again, feeling him harden even further.
He uttered her name on a moan and, still holding his gaze, she raised the condom to her mouth and pressed the tip of her tongue to the end of it before putting the whole thing in her mouth.
Colin drew in a sharp breath and watched intently as she held him steady then opened her mouth over the tip of him and used her lips and tongue to roll the condom on in one smooth move.
“Jesus,” he exhaled on a long shuddering breath.
She slid back up his length and captured his gaze once more as she slowly ran her tongue over her pink lips.
“Mmm,” she hummed with a small smile, “Strawberry.”
Colin let out a strangled moan and lunged forward, crashing his lips to hers in a searing kiss as he pushed her back onto the bed.
She matched his passion kiss for kiss and touch for touch. And when he finally, finally entered her, it was as though nothing else existed in the world except for him.
Propped up on his elbows, he moved slowly at first, thrusting in and out, hips rolling as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Searing heat and desire swirled through her, growing stronger and stronger as he picked up the pace. The air was punctuated with the mingled sounds of their desire as Colin moved faster, harder, deeper, pushing her relentlessly towards her peak. His breathing grew harsh. He was getting close; she could tell by the way the muscles of his shoulders were tightening. Could see his pulse was hammering at the base of his throat. And she was right there with him. Pleasure radiating through her body as she chased her release, so tantalisingly close but just out of reach. Then suddenly, he wound an arm around her waist and tilted her bottom up. He drove into her deeply, the new angle allowing him to hit that sweet spot inside her and she called out his name as her orgasm unexpectedly raced through her body in wave after wave of ecstasy.
He followed soon after, his low groan ragged as he gave one last powerful thrust, his release pulsing inside her. His body shuddered. Finally spent, his arms gave way and collapsed on top of her with a sigh of satisfaction.
As their breathing calmed down, Penelope wrapped her arms around him, enjoying the feeling of him pressing her to the mattress.
“Wow, that was…” she began, then shook her head unable to formulate the words for what had just happened between them.
“Yeah, it was.” Colin raised his head and smiled down at her before capturing her lips in a tender kiss. When they broke apart all the feelings he’d been keeping at bay for months came tumbling out in one simple, heartfelt sentence. “I love you.”
She drew in a sharp breath and he could see the shine of tears in her eyes as she replied just as ardently, “I love you, Colin. I always have.”
His heart missed a beat at her declaration and he grinned, revelling in the words he’d longed to hear. He kissed her again, an affirmation of their feelings and then he pulled back a little and gestured down at himself regretfully. “I’d better go and take care of this.”
She reluctantly let him go and when he returned, he slid back into bed and let out a hum of contentment when she immediately cuddled up to him. He rested his head upon the top of hers, the scent of her floral shampoo filling his nostrils as he pulled her a little closer to him.
Despite how swiftly everything had happened between them that evening, he knew that they still had a lot to talk about. She felt so soft and warm in his arms though, that he decided it could wait until the morning.
Still, there was that one thing…
“So…ten years, huh?” he murmured as he toyed with one of her fiery curls. “That’s a long time.”
She was running her fingers through the springy hair on his chest in soothing, circular pattern and paused at his words. Then she laughed and dropped a kiss on his shoulder before resuming.
“An embarrassingly long time,” she agreed.
He huffed out a snort of annoyance, directed at himself.
“I can’t believe I didn’t see it.”
“You weren’t looking,” she replied with a shrug, “and I was very good at hiding it.”
To his dismay, he realised that she was right on both counts. And it bothered him that he’d been to blind to her for so long. He placed his hand under her chin and tilted her head up so he could look at her.
“I truly am sorry, Pen,” he told her earnestly.
She gazed back at him, her brow furrowing slightly in consternation.
“Don’t be. We’re here now, aren’t we? Everything is fine.”
“Yes, but we…”
“If it makes you feel any better, I can think of a few ways you can make it up to me,” she cut in to his objection with a flirty smile.
Her nail grazed his nipple sending little sparks of awareness through his body as her hand then started trailing down his chest, over his stomach and further still.
“Oh, really?” he asked, then let out a gasp as her hand found its destination.
“Yes, really,” she said, her smile widening into a full-on grin. “And it might even involve that coat you had on this evening.”
He chuckled, even as his body responded readily to her touch.
“As long as you’re the one who’s going to be wearing it,” he replied, already envisioning her laying beneath him with his coat and her mass of glossy red curls splayed out around her. He grabbed her talented hand and gently removed it from his person then nudged her over onto her back. “But first, I’ve got ten years to make up for, so I’d better get started.”
With a wicked grin, he moved down the bed to settle between her thighs and soon they were lost in each other once again.
Outside the bedroom door, Pyewacket got up and sauntered down the hallway, his tail flicking from side to side. His job now was done. They were together and everything else would be down to them.
He ran down the stairs and headed out of the cat flap and into the night. He would miss Penelope he realised as he trotted along the pavement. And he knew she’d miss him. Maybe there was something he could do about that. He’d see if Danbury could help. There were times that she proved to him that she did still possess a heart after all.
The next morning Penelope and Colin came downstairs to see a small black kitten waiting for them by Pye’s food bowl.
Looking at each other in confusion, Penelope picked it up just as Colin saw a note laying on the table.
“I have to go now but here’s something to remember me by,” he read aloud. He stared at her in shock, his brain not wanting to comprehend what was in front of his very eyes. “What the hell?”
“I always knew there was something special about Pye,” Penelope said, seemingly completely unfazed as she fussed their new addition.
“But, Pen…”
“Don’t you see? So many things make sense now, Colin,” she interrupted firmly. “He obviously came to me for a reason and I think that reason was you…well, us, and now we’re together he can leave.”
Try as he may, Colin couldn’t come up with anything remotely plausible to contradict what she’d said and so he just sighed in defeat. All that really mattered was that he and Penelope were together now. Whether there had been some weird, and dear God he hated even entertaining the idea, magical help along the way, was neither here nor there. He was certain they would have got there on their own.
Eventually.
His gut flipped just thinking of all the time he’d already wasted and how they might still be at an impasse if Pye hadn’t cleared his way of other men.
Or if they hadn’t got stuck together in her utility room.
Or if he hadn’t tripped him up the night before…
Bloody hell.
“Come on, let’s get this little fella something to eat,” he muttered, turning away to find some biscuits.
“We’ll have to buy her some kitten food,” Penelope told him, “and give her a name.”
“Do you have any ideas what you want to call her?” he asked, giving the kitten a scratch behind her tiny ears.
“Well, I thought we’d think of one together since she’s ours,” she replied a little hesitantly.
“Ours?” he repeated, liking the sound of that.
“Well, yes…I mean, I thought…after last night…you know, what with your lease coming up for renewal and everything…you could maybe…”
Oh.
Oh.
He still hadn’t told her that he’d been looking at houses. He hadn’t told her anything really. Not about his plans for his future…or theirs, hopefully.
Suddenly she shook her head and took a step backwards. A blush bloomed upon her cheeks as she began to apologise. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed…”
Realising he hadn’t said anything, Colin grabbed her shoulders and leaned down to look right into her eyes.
“Yes, you should assume. I love you, Pen,” he told her tenderly. She gave him a small smile and he continued,” Look, let’s go and get this little one some food then grab breakfast somewhere and decide on a name for her, okay? Then we can come back here and sit down and talk things through. Like, really talk. About the past, our future, just everything. And then I’m going to take you back upstairs and we’re going to spend the rest of the day and night in bed. How does that sound?”
“I think that that sounds like a very good plan,” she replied happily.
He nodded. He did too.
“Good, you grab your keys, I’ll lock the cat flap and we’ll go.”
She did exactly that and they headed out hand in hand, in love and both looking forward to their future.
In a small bakery a couple of miles across town, Agatha Danbury sat in her makeshift office going over her accounts. The soft squeak of the door caught her attention and she looked up in time to see Pyewacket enter the room.
“Did they like their present?” she asked as he jumped up beside her on the desk.
He let out a meow and she nodded in satisfaction.
“Good. Now, I have your next task ready.”
Pye let out a string of mew’s and chirrups that even to a layman’s ear could be discerned as angry.
“Yes, yes, I know you usually have a break but I believe you will need the whole year for this one to be fulfilled,” she explained curtly.
There was another tirade from the black cat and she let out a sigh, suddenly feeling very tired of it all.
“Herman, if you do this successfully, I promise you it will be your last one. I’ll break the spell and you can go, hopefully with having learned something in a meantime,” she told him archly.
Pye closed his mouth and eyed the witch warily. She could understand his doubt. They’d been doing this a good many years, but she had seen the change in her husband and hoped it would continue once the curse was lifted.
Finally, he mewed and she beckoned him over.
“I’ll need to make some changes as the person you’re going to help already knows what you look like,” she divulged.
He blinked in surprise then closed his eyes as she ran her hands over his head and along his back. The shiny black fur shed like leaves falling from a tree to reveal a silver tabby stripe underneath.
“There, all done. What do you think?” she asked, holding up a compact mirror she’d had lying on the desk.
Pye opened his eyes and blinked at his reflection. His eyes were still the same mesmeric green, but the silver tones softened them somewhat. Still, he could work with it.
She shut the compact with a snap and patted him none too gently on the head.
“Her name is Sophie, but you’ll need to find her which will be tricky. I believe she’s in the Mayfair area but won’t be as you expect. The one she’s meant to be with is the person you already know but, as always, I’ll leave that to you to work out who it is,” she explained in her quickfire way. “You have a year, Herman. One year. Good luck. I think you’ll need it.”
With that she went back to her accounts and Pye jumped off the desk.
He’d find her, make no mistake. The promise of finally ending this curse was all the incentive he needed.
Leaving the bakery, he let out a cheerful meow and, with a flick of his silver tail, he headed off in the direction of Mayfair.
THE END