Bridgerton fans asked for steamy scenes between Colin and Penelope — and Netflix delivered exactly that.
During the first half of the third season, which started streaming on Thursday, May 16, Colin (Luke Newton) and Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) found themselves moving from friends to lovers.
Even though Penelope started the season out in the search for a suitable husband, it didn’t take long for her connection with Colin to evolve instead. Between stolen glances and so much yearning, it was only a matter of time before the fictional couple gave in to temptation — despite not being married yet.
Season 3, which is based on Julia Quinn‘s novel Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, wrapped up the first half with a very intimate moment in a carriage that ended with Colin proposing to Penelope. Even though fans have to wait for the second half of the season for her response, it is safe to assume that Colin and Penelope will get their happily ever after.
Keep scrolling for a breakdown of Penelope and Colin’s steamiest moments — so far:
From Flirting to Growing Closer
After Colin apologized for saying he would never court Penelope in the season 2 finale, the pair reconnected as friends. Colin offered to coach Penelope in the best way to interact with potential suitors to find her perfect match.
This subsequently led Penelope to practice her flirting on him, which began to clue Colin in on his own feelings toward her. During one practice session, Penelope had to hide in Colin’s office where she stumbled upon his travel diary. Colin, who wasn’t happy to see Penelope reading his work, got injured and she bandaged him up. He appeared to get very affected by Penelope’s touch, which was a first for Colin.
Their 1st Kiss
The second episode of the season showed Colin and Penelope’s plan coming undone when the rest of the ton started to gossip about it. Getting help from an eligible suitor would only ruin Penelope’s reputation more, which is exactly what gossip writer Lady Whistledown (a.k.a Penelope in disguise) mentioned in her column.
When Colin visited Penelope to see how she was doing, she confessed to fears about her future.
“Colin, could I ask you something? Would you kiss me? It would not have to mean anything. And I would never expect anything from you because of it. But I am nearly on the shelf and never been kissed. And I am not certain I ever will be,” Penelope admitted in the emotional scene. “I could die tomorrow and it would kill me. I do not wish to die without ever having been kissed.”
Colin kissed Penelope and in a surprise turn of events she wasn’t the one visibly moved by the moment.
Colin’s NSFW Dreams
After their kiss, Colin started to envision a reunion with Penelope that would take an even steamier turn.
“Pen, I have not been able to sleep. Not been able to eat. I can barely speak these days. My entire thoughts consumed by our kiss. By you,” Colin told Penelope in his dream before she responded, “I feel the same. You occupy my every thought.”
The duo made out in the garden at Penelope’s home before Colin woke up.
The Carriage Scene
Fans of Quinn’s book series already knew what was going to happen when Colin stopped Penelope’s carriage at the end of the fourth episode. Penelope was distraught by Lord Debling’s (Sam Phillips) refusal to propose due to the obvious sparks flying between her and Colin. She expressed her frustration to Colin, assuming he would never feel the same as her.
“What if I did have feelings for you? I have spent so long trying to feel less, trying to be the kind of man society expects me to be. And for a moment, I thought I had succeeded. But these past few weeks have been full of confounding feelings,” Colin admitted. “Feelings like a total inability to stop thinking about you. About that kiss.”
He continued: “Feelings like dreaming of you when I’m asleep. And in fact, preferring sleep because that is where I might find you. Feeling that is like torture. But one which I cannot, will not, do not want to give up. I do mean it. It is everything I have wanted to say to you for weeks.”
Once Penelope revealed that Colin’s feelings were reciprocated, the twosome started to make out while alone in the carriage. Their intimate moment almost led to Penelope and Colin having sex before they were interrupted by their arrival at Colin’s house. Colin decided there and then to propose to Penelope as he asked her to come back to his home with him.
