Torrid: The Art of The Kiss

The heat is on (and, no, I don't mean in the Kenny Loggins way).

I stumbled on this fantastic mini-article about one of mankind's favorite activities. Thought I'd share the "inspiration."


Every summer we awaken senses that had lain dormant during the cooler months. The smell of suntan lotion, the feel of warm wet sand oozing between our toes, the sound of crickets and the sight of a warm breeze billowing a sheer summer dress. Sun-kissed bodies look sexier, and the kisses are oh-so-much sweeter.


No doubt about it: Mother Nature is eliciting some powerful aphrodisiacs, which is why summer is a great time to practice some red-hot kissing techniques.


"Torrid kissing is the #1 thing that keeps motors running," says Lou Paget, author of How to Be a Great Lover, How to Give Her Absolute Pleasure and The Big O. Orgasms: How To Have Them, Give Them and Keep Them.


"What torrid kissing shows is that the person is interested in you and turned on by you. Could there be any bigger aphrodisiac than that? Plus kissing well sends a message that you do other things well…."


Here are some of Paget's hottest kissing strategies:

1. Tread lightly. Your lips are one of the softest parts of your body, so start kissing with light, gentle motions. The kiss can become firmer as your temperatures rise.


2. Have a cup of hot tea before you start smooching. Warming up your mouth will make it even more inviting.


3. Suck his lower lip into your mouth, running the tip of your tongue along the outside of the lip. Then run it straight down from the middle lip to the chin. "Men have been known to almost loose their knees with this," says Paget, who explains that there is an energy meridian that flows from the lower lip southward.


4. Don't restrict yourself to the mouth. Instead go for unexpected places, like the insides of elbows or knees. "Babies explore the entire world with their mouth," says Paget. "Why wouldn't we as adults? Any spot that is not regularly exposed to sunshine is typically going to be more sensitive."


5. Avoid the tongue-in-ear move. This might excite some men, but Paget says that for most women, "it feels like putting your head in a dishwasher."


6. Alternate upper and lower lips to give each the attention it deserves.


7. If his kiss is feeling more like a tongue-wrestling match, then stop, look him in the eye and tell him how much you love kissing. Then say, "God, I'd love to know how it feels to be kissed by me." Kiss him the way you want to be kissed and pray that he can follow suit.


8. Practice the gentle art of non-verbal communication. Put your hands at the back of the neck and cradle the back of your partner's head. This will enable you to pull yourself in more, make her more comfortable, and offer gentle directions. A hand on the cheek also sends a warm, loving message while enhancing communication.


9. Breathe deeply. Small noises and deep breathes will give your lover lots of great positive feedback and will actually enhance your pleasure. "Oxygen is the ultimate catalyst — whether you're talking about fire or physical chemistry," says Paget.


10. Don't turn your mouth into a suction cup. Paget says that many men forget how much bigger their mouths are than women's. "So the guy will envelop his date's mouth, which will cause the woman to pull back," she says.


11. Arch your back. "When someone is kissing you, they want to know that they are doing it in a way that turns you on. If a woman arches her body into a man, that lets him know," says Paget.


12. Next time, make it a tangerine kiss. Remember the flavored lip gloss you used to wear in the 7th grade — the kind that came in ginger ale, watermelon and bubble gum? Well, they're still around and there's no reason that your current boyfriend can't enjoy the sweet taste of nectarine on your lips the same way your Sadie Hawkins date did. "It's so fun, especially if you have a whole little wardrobe of flavors and you can ask him to guess what they are," says Paget, who recommends flavors that come in light shades, like orange or vanilla. Leave the chocolate-fudge ripple to your eight-year-old niece.


13. Suck your lover's upper lip. Then gentle place your tongue underneath the upper lip so that your tongue is between his teeth and upper lip. (Your tongue will be in a reversed-L shape, like you are touching your nose.) Gently run your tongue left to right so that he feels the soft underside of your tongue. "It's not a big motion," says Paget. "The big ones are not the ones that drive us crazy — it's the little ones."

Above image: A quick digital sketch I'm working on. Skriker and Rose, the hero and heroine of my upcoming novella, engaging in their favorite activity (other than vampire hunting). Veeery fun little quickie drawing.