This was actually my first try on writing before I wrote "I Had to Have Her". Please feel free to leave a comment and send feedback. It is a pleasure to write and know many others are enjoying it as well. THANK YOU again Marion Clarke for being my lovely editor.
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Flipping through papers and scrolling through the latest gossip my boss Dan slams papers on my desk.
"Hey Jess what do you think about the duchess and the duke getting married?"
This story must have just happened on my day off because nothing usually runs through me. I don't mean to seem like I'm bragging but I am very good at what I do. Being where no one was, the first on scene and the first to capture the true story through the lens. I snapped back to reality when Dan began giving me my new task.
"Jess I've already spoken with the people who work with the duchess and its arranged for you to go to the wedding and take exclusive pictures, be sure to make them look gorgeous."
"Yes Sir."
I began googling the duchess, now how I work is a bit different than many. I research my high paying clients and look for the basics but never look at images of my clients. Looking at other photos of them through different lens blurs my vision. Scrolling and clicking, she's 24, name is Grace, enjoys polo, gardening, and a great game of chess. I bet she does like all those things but I wonder what she likes doing when no one is telling her how to run her life, and how to act. I logged off and drove home excited about tomorrow to come. I mean how often do I get to go to Rome, meet royal blood, drink wealth and capture a new beginning of a country. I fell asleep thinking of all kinds of cheeses I haven't tried yet.
Next Day
I woke up and began packing for four days, I didn't pack much only the essentials for the fact that all my outfits will be already at my hotel room. From Colorado to Rome wasn't too bad of a flight especially riding first class. I arrived and was driven straight to the hotel. I had about two hours to get ready. My clothes were already laid across the bed. Whoever picked my outfit has great taste. I slipped on the white strapped dress, with a diamond cut out in the back. The dress hugged very nicely around my ass. My medium length brown hair was pulled back to an elegant bun with a few strands hanging. My green eyes were highlighted with tones of sultry brown and lined with heavy mascara on my long eyelashes. I looked like a knock out looking at the person in the mirror. I gave myself a wink and thought about all of the beautiful woman bound to be at this wedding and hopefully with my charm, I will be able to eat one for dinner. I grabbed my camera and the extra cash sitting on the bedside table and zipped it into my backpack.
The Wedding
The wedding was actually better than I expected, it was in a private forest. By the looks of the groom's face this was what the Duchess wanted. He looked uncomfortable surrounded my humidity and bugs. The forest was beautiful like something off the discovery channel. I took a few shots of the greenery and the beautiful people invited. I estimated there were about 300 people here. I sat in the front row to get the best shots of the new couple to be. The whole world stopped as the Duchess walked into sight. She was wearing a beautiful white lacy dress, wearing no jewelry but for a beautiful pearl on a silver chain necklace. She was in a category of her own. She had beautiful long curly hair with gorgeous cheekbones, plump deep red lips, and dark eyes that made her look mysterious. Her skin beamed with a natural bronze. She walked slowly down the aisle, and as soon as she met eyes with me I froze. I froze in time, those eyes. I couldn't capture her through the lens at that beautiful moment and I immediately felt embarrassed and out of my skin. She walked up to the alter and said her I do and I was able to regroup and get the shot of the kiss between the now Duke and Duchess.
The After Party
I rushed to the hotel after the I do's and looked at my choices scattered on the bed. I chose the beautiful red dress that hugged my body like latex,, blow dried my hair and let my hair down, embellished my neck and ears with diamonds. The thought of the duchess' eyes was all I could see. I rushed to the after-party, just as elegant as the wedding but was held in a beautiful cabin. I began taking pictures of the cabin and again the people. It wasn't hard to find the duchess; she looked gorgeous in a purple long slimming dress that made my mouth water. Thinking about my hands running up that purple silk made my heart beat faster. I went to the bar to cool off and let the liquor take hold of my thoughts. I can't be thinking these kinds of things. First off she's a duchess, I have no worth or value to her . . . . a straight duchess. Second I've never mixed business with pleasure. Third she has a husband that could easily make my own existences vanish. I took another sip and felt a tap on my shoulder.
"Uh Hi your Jess right?" it was the duchess . . . great my mind and reasons for why my thinking was so wrong went out the window.
"Ohhhh yes that's me, is there anything I can do for you Mrs Knightley?"
"Call me Grace please, and yes I saw you as I was walking up to the alter and I see you are a photographer, what company do you work for?"
"Encounter", she then leaned in and whispered in my ear giving me goose bumps from my neck to my arms.
"Do you do private photos?"