The Royal’s Pretend Wife by Sophia Lynn Page A

“That sounds like something a husband would say.”
    Apolo smiled a little, but there was still something serious in his eyes.
    “For the time being, I am your husband, and that means that of course I am going to be a little protective. If someone wants to hurt you, that is completely unacceptable. Just keep me informed of what is going on. The producers seem intent on keeping us apart, and I want to know what is being planned.”
    “Sir, yes, sir,” she said, rolling over on one side. When he came to press himself against her back, one hand thrown companionably over her waist, she sighed with pleasure.
    The desire for him was dying down a little, she thought with relief. That was good. Last night, she had come awake intermittently, aware of the maleness of his body and how much she wanted it. It seemed as if tonight was going to be easier.
    At least, that's what she thought until his arm tightened around her, and his lips brushed against her earlobe. “Goodnight, beautiful gata. Dream of good things.”
    The desire rushed back as if it had never been gone, and she bit her lip to stifle a groan. It was all she could do not to grind herself against him, because that would be unfairly teasing both of them.
    Just three weeks, she thought to herself. After that…everything will get back to normal.
    When she had that thought, however, her stomach sank. She knew what would happen in three weeks. The show would end, and she and Apolo would go their separate ways
    Trinity tried to think about the money that would mean, but if she were honest with herself, that had stopped being a real worry a long time ago. Right now, if he had told her that she wasn't getting a cent, she still would have stayed. She might have said that it was a matter of professional pride, but deep down, she knew the truth.
    Quietly, her hand stole down to cover his, squeezing it gently. Desire and something else had come to be mixed inside her, and right now, all she knew was that she was the happiest she had ever been. She pushed away the thought of what would happen when she lost him.
    I will cross that bridge when I come to it, she thought firmly. After all, three weeks is a very long time.
     
     

Chapter Seven
     
     
    The days seemed to fly by, and before she quite knew what was happening, Trinity realized that two weeks had finished up. Their days were kept surprisingly full. Once the couples were taken to a public beach and sent to vacation “just like everyone else.” Serafina and Jozef had managed to find something to fight about, and though Antonio and Carolina were quieter, there was some kind of tension there that seemed to be getting thicker as things went on. For their part, Apolo and Trinity enjoyed themselves, buying each other small presents from the vendors on the pier.
    Another time, they had ended up at the Tower of London playing tourist. Surprisingly, none of them had been there before, and it proved to be a surprisingly enjoyable experience. They were new to both the glory of the Crown Jewels as well as the darkness of the Tower's history, and she, Serafina, and Carolina had had an excellent time trying to make one of the beefeater guards smile. Though they failed, that day was one where there hadn't been any quarreling at all.
    That was not to say that the show was without its dramas.
    One day, after a shopping trip in London's fashion district, a distraught Carolina had confessed that she had been the one who had salted Trinity's fajitas on the first night.
    “But why would you do that?” Trinity had asked, befuddled. Somehow, she found herself in the position of patting the upset young woman's back, trying to soothe her sobs.
    “Oh because you were perfect!” Carolina cried. “You and Apolo, you're amazing together, and everyone knows it. I don't know, I just got so…so mad, and before I knew it….”
    She burst into fresh sobs, and Serafina came to sit on her other side. The other woman was surprisingly sensitive,