The Writer and The Photographer: Passion

Chapter 1: Nervous

"Why are you so worried? This is gonna be the easiest one you've done yet!"

Bea took another deep breath and tried to shake the tension out through her hands. "But this is the big one," she argued. "They'd make movies of this kind of shit. And I'm pretty sure the actress would be encouraged to portray me as a nervous wreck."

"Fair enough," Louisse chuckled. "I shall henceforth encourage the anxiety. Did you want to have the breakdown before you get to the school or after?"

"Um...now I think. Get things out of the way. Oh god, Lou I'm gonna be sick."

With an air of calm Louisse took both of Bea's hands in her own and stood in front of her. "No, you're not. You haven't eaten anything. Look at me," she ordered, squeezing the woman's hands until she raised her eyes. "Okay, focus on me and take a deep breath. I'm going to be right there at your side. This is going to be fun!" A wide smile split Louisse's face as she said the last words and Bea could not help but return the grin.

"You are so damn beautiful," she told her girlfriend, gazing into big grey eyes. Middle Eastern blood had given Louisse's skin a darker hue and her black hair loose curls that refused to be tamed. High cheeks bones tapered down to a strong jaw and a mouth that had captivated Bea the first moment she had seen it.

"Yes, yes I am. So focus on my natural beauty and not on what's freaking you out." With a deadpan expression, Louisse cradled Bea's face in her hands, their equal height making it easy to gaze eye to eye. "Just don't allow my lack of modesty to break your concentration."

"Why be modest?" Bea asked. "The world knows you are gorgeous. Denying it is just lying." She gently touched her lips to Louisse's, the contact causing a wave of heat to wash through her body, goosebumps appearing on her skin. Breathing out a deep sigh of contentment, Louisse deepened the kiss, her tongue softly brushing across Bea's lips.

A knock sounded on the hotel door. "Taxi is ready for you, Miss," a voice called out.

"Argh," Bea groaned, the nervousness returning in a rush.

"Okay, stop. Just stop. Look at me. You left this place crawling away from everyone who said you wouldn't make it. They said you would fail, right?" Bea nodded. "Right. Now look at you. Worldwide best-selling author. New York Times voted you Best Newcomer of the Year, baby! You not only made it, you raised the bar! And now you're back and have the chance to rub their noses in it. Stand up. Breathe deeply, hold my hand." Louisse paused as a wide loving smile spread across her face. "Make me proud."

Bea closed her eyes, took a deep breath and laughed. "Okay. Gods, I love you. Okay. Let's do this."