ch 3

                                    

                                          
Several hours later, Colin found Penelope puttering around their chambers, straightening up and tidying. Rolling his eyes, he came and pulled her away from the shelves, chiding her gently. "Penelope Anne, how many times must I remind you that your staff will take care of these things?" He pressed gentle kisses onto her neck, tugging her backwards by her waist as she giggled. "Colin!" Penelope protested, batting at his hands. He nuzzled at her, his kisses becoming more insistent. "You're naughty," Penelope told him softly before giving in. She tilted her head, giving Colin better access. A soft moan escaped Penelope's lips as he suckled, leaving a small mark behind her ear. Both Colin and Penelope jerked in surprise when a knock on the door sounded - even after being married for four years, sometimes they still forget that they could be alone together. Lord of his own home but worried about compromising his wife, Colin thought amusedly as Penelope hurriedly straightened her hair back into place and tugged at her gown. It would merely be one of the children's maids, letting Penelope know one of babes needed to nurse. She smiled apologetically at Colin, promising to return soon. 
Nearly an hour later, Penelope rushed back down the corridor towards her bedchamber. Nursing one babe had turned into nursing three, then the fourth wanted to rock to sleep. She normally paid no mind to the numerous interruptions choosing to nurse her own children caused, but tonight she had felt a bit flustered when she and Colin had heard the knock on the door. Although she'd woken up hungover, Penelope had felt rather...squirmy once the dinner hour arrived. Colin had thought her genuine in her tidying of the chambers , but in truth she'd merely been staging herself for the scolding she knew she'd receive. Her thighs had been pressed together tightly over dinner, squeezing against the other when Colin reached to pass rolls to their children. His shirt sleeves had been rolled up, and Penelope couldn't quite get over the bunching of his biceps. She'd swallowed tightly when Colin turned sideways to assist their middle child into a chair - oh, had his trousers always fit him so nicely? Her mouth felt dry as she remembered how she'd knelt to the floor to retrieve a fallen toy, with Colin rising as well. He'd innocently bent against her form, pressing his groin against her while grabbing the toy. A small puff of air had escaped Penelope as she glanced at the clock on the dining room mantle, gauging just how many hours remained until the children's bedtime. She'd returned to her seat, hand trembling slightly as she speared a carrot with her utensil. Colin, ever the egotistical man that he was, had given her a knowing look that sent her casting her eyes downward, flushing silently to have been caught out by the very cause of her apparently obvious arousal. 
Penelope came to the door of their chambers and opened it quietly. She was dreading the possibility that Colin had fallen asleep, knowing his travels that day had probably exhausted him. However, to her surprise, he was simply reading in bed. All of the candles remained lit, albeit half melted away. She smiled as she came directly towards the bed. Even if the moment had passed, Penelope would still take pleasure in simply falling asleep next to the man she'd loved for the entirety of her existence. 
Colin heard Penelope approach their bed, licking his finger nonchalantly to turn a page. He feigned concentration, watching her from the corner of his eyes. Colin knew the very moment Penelope spotted the burst of pink fabric peeking from her pillow, because she paused her steps towards him to frown. She tugged her pillow aside, curiously picking up the satin lined restraints. They were soft cuffs, lined with tightening clips and held together by delicately sturdy metal links. 
As soon as Penelope held them upright and one cuff fell, dangling from the other, Colin heard a sharp intake of breath. Penelope was staring, her eyes wide. Colin set his book aside to observe her. "Col...Colin?" Penelope stammered. 
Colin said nothing, letting Penelope put together discomfort and intrigue to form her own statement. How she responded would give him a better idea of how Penelope felt regarding restraint when not drunken. He folded his hands in his lap, still merely watching her. Penelope's breathing was perhaps a bit quicker than normal, and there was a definite flush to her cheeks that was rapidly spreading downward. She was still holding the cuffs in her hands and stood frozen, her eyes darting to her husband before returning to the items she was clutching. "Colin, I, erm... What are these for?" Penelope blurted out finally.