56.

Nadia laughs. 'Do I detect a little jealousy Mr Marc Blackwell? It's only kissing. We'll do the bedroom stuff later.'

'I'm sorry Marc.' I put a hand on his forearm. 'I didn't realise we'd be doing this today.'

'But you're okay?' Nadia turns concerned brown eyes on me. 'You're not going to freak out or anything? Because the big bad husband is here?'

'I don't think so.'

'Good.' Nadia puts an arm around my shoulder. 'Because I want this scene to be smoking hot, okay?'

Marc frowns. 'Nadia, must you have this conversation in front of me? Sophia is my wife.'

'Sorry, sorry. But Marc hey, this is acting. You should know that better than anyone.'

Baz snorts. 'Who, Marc? He usually sleeps with the women he acts with.'

A wave of nausea washes over me and I put a hand to my mouth.

'Sophia.' Marc puts an arm around me. 'Are you okay?'

I shake my head. 'I'm okay. Just tell Baz to stop talking.'

'Gladly,' says Marc.

'Sorry mate.' Baz holds his metal-gloved hands up. 'Me and my big mouth. You know how I am. I see a joke, I just have to tell it.'

'Morning sickness?' Nadia asks.

I nod.

'You should have said. I had it so bad with my second. You poor love.'

'Honestly I'm okay,' I say. 'I don't want to be treated any different. I'm here to do a job like everyone else. I just need to get on with it.'

'Spoken like a true professional. Come on.' Nadia helps me to my feet. 'Let's go set you up. Marc you wait here. I don't want you watching this scene.'

'Why not?' Marc asks.

'You know why not. Sophia won't be able to relax with you looking over her shoulder. This is the scene for the trailer, the poster shots ... everything. I want steam coming off these two and I don't want you killing it. Okay?'

'Christ I should never have agreed to let you do this,' says Marc, but he manages a tiny smile.

'You didn't let me do it,' I say. 'I chose to do it. As a free thinking woman.' I squeeze his hands. 'I'll be back soon.'

'You'd better be. Or I'm coming to get you.'

57.

Nadia leads me around the Tower of London to a patch of gra.s.s where ravens scratch and peck.

Leo waits by a flag pole with his hands on his hips, dressed in his handsome prince costume leather belts strapped across his torso, sword swinging and scuffed riding boots. His blond hair is messed up and decorated with fake mud.

A few cameras are already set up, one on a rail running along the ground.

Camera and sound people stand around the clearing, waiting for Nadia's signal.

'I thought here would be perfect,' says Nadia. 'Don't you think? Sort of dark and scary but beautiful too. So romantic.'

'I agree,' says Leo, grinning at me. 'Looks great, don't you think?'

'It does.' I look around. 'So where do you want me?'

'Here.' Nadia leads me to Leo. 'Right next to him, okay? Right from the start. Chest to chest.'

She pushes us together and I stumble a little, still feeling a bit nauseous.

Leo catches me. 'Hey. Don't fall over princess. Not in your condition.'

'I'll try not to.'

'Okay. Great!' Nadia stands back. 'Just like that. Arms around each other.'

Leo puts his arms around my shoulders and I put mine around his waist.

'You've done this before,' says Leo, winking.

'Enough of the jokes. You're dating my best friend. Remember?'

'I remember. The best girl in the world. But I wouldn't be me without the jokes would I?'

'We're going to go straight into the kiss,' says Nadia. 'Okay?'

I nod.

Leo turns on his seductive eyes. 'Darling Princess Sophia. I finally have you in my arms.'

'Leo. Give me a break would you?'

'Okay, okay. I get it. No jokes. Not with Mr Blackwell right around the corner.'

'Let's just stick to the script.'

My stomach is really churning now and I just want this scene over with.

'Oh come on!' says Leo. 'I have to be able to ad lib a little. I'm a free spirit. I go with my feelings. That's how all the best scenes come around.'

I roll my eyes. 'Let's be serious.'

'You're right. Kissing is a serious business.'

'Okay you two.' Nadia is looking at the camera now. 'And ... action.'

Leo looks down at me, his brown eyes turning seductive again. 'How'd you get out that tower?' he breathes.

Wow I have to say Leo is a pretty amazing actor. The way he can go from jokey to s.e.xy in a second is impressive.

I look up at him. 'The same way you got up. I climbed.'

Leo really does smell good. I think it's something to do with the pregnancy, but my senses are incredibly sensitive right now. I can smell his skin and aftershave. Even his shampoo.

'Climbed all that way?'

'All that way. To find you.'

'And here was I thinking it was me finding you.' Leo lowers his lips to mine and kisses me, leaning me back in his arms so the camera can get a good shot of my face.

I let myself be kissed and respond too. But my heart stays locked up. This is my body and this is my job to act like Leo and I are in love. And I can make it look real. But it's not.

I hear the camera zoom in on us and know this will be a really tight shot of our faces.

We pull back and gaze at each other, the prince and princess in love.

I swallow quickly, hoping I'm not going to ruin the moment by throwing up.

'Bravo!' Nadia claps loudly. 'Great! Great you two. Hey you know what? I think we got that first try. Let me take a look.'

Secretly I'm really hoping we don't go again. Not because I have any problem kissing Leo. But because I know the longer we take, the more painful it will be for Marc.

I mean yes, this is my job and he has to accept that. But I still understand how hard this must be for him. If it were the other way around, I'd be freaking out.

Nadia watches the scene on the digital camera screen. Then she claps again. 'Great! I think we got it. But let's try a few more takes, okay? Get the best one we can do.'

58.

When I get back to Marc, he's sitting on a wooden chair, elbows on his knees, frowning.

'How was it?' he asks, the words stilted.

'Fine,' I tell him. 'The scene went well. I managed to keep the sickness down.'

'Glad to hear it.'

'You know it doesn't mean a thing. Don't you?'

'I know.'

'Hey. Marc? Mr Blackwell? What I just did with Leo that wasn't a real kiss. This is a real kiss.'

I press my lips to his.

Marc arms come around me, his lips pressing hard against mine.

Then he pulls back, his eyes wild as they search mine. 'Maybe I should let you kiss another man more often.'

I laugh.

'You're finished for the day?' he asks.

'I am.'

'And you're not feeling too sick?'

'Not at all actually. Not when I'm close to you like this. Crazy isn't it?'

'Get changed. I'm taking you straight home.'

Marc carries me to the car, his hands under my backside as he kisses me.

I try to keep my moans from spilling out, but as he climbs into the driver's seat with me on his lap I can't hold back.

'Oh G.o.d, Marc.'

We're still kissing pa.s.sionately as he closes the car door.