Tuesday, February 10, 2009

It's in His Kiss?


Tis the 11th day of Romance during the Romancing February Blog Contest—and it’s my day to blog! So my topic is First Kisses. From your first kiss ever, to your first French kiss (oo-la-la) to your first kiss with your significant other—firsts are special.

My first ever kiss was when I was nine years old. Shocking isn’t it? But then I didn’t experience another one until I was sixteen so I’m chalking it up to curiosity or the boy, Frankie T., all of twelve, being a little, well, exhuberant.

We were sitting in a tent in his backyard, sharing a bag of salty potato chips. How did he know that potato chips were my favorite snack?

I didn’t know him all that well, but he was very cute. He was always getting into to scrapes, always very daring and adventurous. There were lots of neighborhood stories about Frankie T. These facts should have been clues of what might happen, but a nine- year-old's trouble antennae isn’t very experienced yet.

He leaned in close, looked right into my eyes and said, “Wanna, kiss?” My pulse rate, which was already thumping away just being in a tent with him, went into overdrive. I don’t remember saying anything, just staring into his golden brown orbs. Next thing I knew, his lips were on mine, salty and firm. He was kissing me. I held my lips tightly shut and barely moved. It was exciting—but nothing more. He kissed me again. This time, I remember, it wasn’t even exciting—just salty.

Finally, my trouble antennae started sending signals. Before he could try again, I rose. Grabbed a handful of chips (had to have those chips) and told him I had to go. Walking home I wondered about what I had done. And figured I probably shouldn’t have. So I never went over to Frankie’s again. And he never said more than hi to me. I probably wasn’t much of a kisser.

Still, for seven more years, I clung to the fact that I had at least been kissed once! And I can promise you, my kissing experience at sixteen went a whole lot better.

On the web, the site Virtualkiss.com has a whole section on first kiss stories. A quick perusal of sixty-five first kiss listings showed that the majority of people (40) were under fourteen when they had their first kiss. Of them, twenty-seven experienced their first kiss at age thirteen or fourteen. Only one cited age nine. (My cheeks are red!)

And did you know that there are sites that will give you step-by-step instructions on kissing? Check out Kissing.net/French kissing tips for matter-of-fact, fairly reasonable kissing instructions. Who knew?

Some of their suggestions include brushing your teeth and taking a bath—ahh, definitely. And “don’t bite. Just nibble. Whatever, you do, don’t bite.” Can’t argue with that. LOL.

But nothing beats the first kiss of the man you fall in love with. The heart-stopping, world- jarring, lightening-striking kiss of real love.

In my story Re-ride at the Rodeo, Dusty is surprised by her first kiss with Clay and it foreshadows the rest of the story. Dusty wants nothing to do with a rodeo rider for reasons all her own. Clay can't resist the challenge of someone who's "not that into" him. Here’s an excerpt that contains the first kiss:
She turned around to the sight of Clay bearing down on her. Her heart skipped a beat. His white shirt almost glowed in the moonlight while the rest of his body was etched in black against the gray night sky. He moved with the rolling gait of the cowboy he was, all fluid motion and power, a trim muscled torso on long lean legs. He held up his hands in surrender. “Don’t I count? You gave Jesse a dance. Don’t I get one?”

He sure was a hunk of man. Her heart thumped hard inside her chest. She couldn’t tell his expression with the brim of the Stetson shadowing his face but she guessed it wasn’t a happy one.

“I didn’t know you wanted one,” she managed to get out, just as he stopped short in front of her.

His looming height made her feel small. She looked up at a set of unyielding lips, midnight blue eyes and the gray shadow of a beard etching his strong jaw.

“I want.” His voice had a husky timbre to it. He reached for her and she endured the slight brush of his hand against her shoulder as he fingered strands of her hair. Goosebumps danced where he touched. “Your hair is down. I knew it would be worth seeing.”

She couldn’t move.

He smoothed a tendril back behind her shoulder with the barest touch. “I’ll take this instead.” He bent down.

He was going to kiss her. She knew it and still she rooted in place. Firm lips gently breezed across hers. The taste of hops filled her senses. His lips brushed again as his hand touched her shoulder and tugged her closer. She tingled clear to her toes. His lips pressed harder against hers, seeking a response. She opened and his tongue slid inside. A whimper of surrender escaped. He reacted to the sound by pressing her head closer to him, holding her for his taking as his mouth devoured her. She barely noticed the stubble of his beard scraping her cheek.

“So sweet,” he mumbled against her lips. Strong fingers threaded through her hair. Hot and hungry, he deepened the kiss as he fitted her between his legs and moved against her like he couldn’t get enough, like he was ready to swallow her up.

Her legs weakened.

Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his neck, skimmed her fingers through the hair that feathered his collar, and hung on, giving into the desire for a connection with someone warm and willing. Need pounded within her. It had been such a long while since Bradley. Clay’s hands, hot and heavy, moved to her waist as his mouth drank her in. One hand slid across her back and pressed her nearer, while the other inched near her breasts. His thumb rubbed against her nipple. A jolt of sensation shot through her, and her mind switched on.

What was she doing?---From Re-ride at the Rodeo available at The Wild Rose Press


So do you have a “kiss” story—first or otherwise? Leave a comment, regardless, and you’ll be entered into a drawing for a free copy of Re-ride at the Rodeo. And if you are participating in the Romancing February Blog Event Contest the next blog to go to tomorrow is fellow western writer, Anna Kathryn Lanier’s blog : http://annakathrynlanier.blogspot.com/.

For those who want to start and catch up in the Romancing February contest where the grand prize is a $75 gift certificate to The Wild Rose Press, go back to Ginger Simpson’s blog at http://mizging.blogspot.com/ to follow the thread back. You need to list each author's blog and the book of that author for all the authors who are blogging this month (one for each day) and send them to christmasrideblog@live.com by midnight CST Feb. 27th 2009 to enter.

Thanks for stopping by! And stop in again for romance with a western flair. Don't forget to leave a comment!

19 comments:

Emma Lai said...

Definitely have to get a copy of "Re-ride at the Rodeo." Sadly, I don't remember my first kiss. Must not have been very memorable, but I don't think I was much older than you Anne. I do remember my first kiss with my husband though. Never wanted it to stop. His kisses still send shivers down my back.

Caridad Pineiro said...

My first kiss was one of those quick hesitant and awkward pecks with the boy of my dreams! He was a fellow musician and Latino, but somehow nothing else ever happened between us. My parents were over-protective and I was always the compliant child so romance had to wait. But I still remember him and that first kiss.

P.L. Parker said...

My first "real" kiss is one better forgotten, but how can I. Sophomore in high school, he gave me a ride home, then proceeded to slap one on me. OH ICK. Afterwards, I'm sure I had sand in my mouth. Was so disgusting, but a short time later, I was kissed by another guy who was much better at it. Hee Hee.

Patsy
P. L. Parker

housemouse88 said...

My first kiss was hilarious. We were standing outside the band room waiting for my grandmother to pick me up from school. Mike was extremely taller than me at the time and still is. He bent down, I lend up and as our mouths came together we collided teeth. Needless to say, we didn't do that again.

On a better note, my husband and I still have that first kiss over and over again. I can't seem to get enough of him.

Judy said...

I can't remember my very first kiss. I am sure it was when I was too young to really store it in my memory banks. I do like kissing!! My DH is my kissing partner, and has been for many,many years, and they are still memorable!!

Eliza Knight said...

Your book sounds wonderful!

I have to look at those sites, I bet they are entertaining, and I agree, no biting!

Ah...first kisses...My first kiss was when I was 14. Just a feather light touch which sent my heart spinning and limbs tingling. It scared the hell out of me.

The first kiss with my true love was earth-shattering. I still remember it today...We've been together 12 years. I just remember his lips on mine and how perfect it felt, and God what a man! Sigh...I wish he was home so I could go kiss him right now :)

Anne Carrole said...

Well, Judy, Eliza and Emma and housemouse88, it shows how important our hubby's kisses are to keeping that spark alive--thanks for sharing.

Thanks for stopping by Caridad and nothing came of my first kiss either.

My sympathies for that yucky first kiss P.L.! Mine wasn't anything to boast about either!:)

Rebecca J. Clark said...

My first kiss was quite forgettable, it was so bad. I guess it's not forgettable after all, eh? His name was Larry, it was wet, sloppy and all around icky. I remember thinking, "this isn't at all like I've read about in Harlequin."

:)Becky

Allison Presley said...

First kisses. I wish I could remember that of my dear husband, but I don't. Stolen, I'm sure though, as he was dating someone else at the time. ;-)

My first REAL kiss was not an earth shattering experience, though. THAT I remember. I was 13 or 14 and about as naive as they come. The guy was a few years older and would have probably tried to do more than French kiss, had I been inclined to stick around after that first tongue-in-mouth experience.

Anne Carrole said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anne Carrole said...

Rebecca an Eleyne you both had me laughing! It's a wonder we all survived those first attempts!:)

M.Flagg said...

My first kiss was in Kindergarten, with Anthony W. He gave me a plastic ring and asked me to marry him. My real first kiss came at 13 from someone I adored. We met again seven years later, and that kiss literally swept me off my feet! I can't believe I'm sharing this, Anne!
Mickey

Debby said...

I re,member my first kiss and it was nothing to really remember. I have some wonderful later kisses to remember but not with him

Anne Carrole said...

But Mickey--isn't if fun to remember!:) I'd so forgotten Frankie T. And Debby, as you can see, your not alone in that bad "first kiss" category!

JoannaAislinn said...

My very first kiss came from a crew member backstage during a high school musical production of "Anything Goes". I was doomed to moon over that boy for the next two years of school. My first French kiss came from Bobby, behind the metal doors of a store I worked at when I was seventeen. I was 5' he stood at 6'5 in his biker boots. My tongue flopped, but I learned fast. By the next day, I was ready. No more problems w/French kissing after that :)

Anne Carrole said...

Way to go Joanna! Thanks for stopping by!

Stacey Joy Netzel said...

Anne, I LOVE the top of your blog--very cool!! Great excerpt of "Re-ride" and great post, too. :)

Anastasia St. James said...

Hi, Anne!

I remember my first kiss, I thought it was great at the time, lol. Of course, I had nothing to compare it to. I was a late started, a Cuban upbringing will do that for you. :) I was a Sophomore in high school.
There was a lot of passion, braces (not mine :) ) and peppermint flavor (not mine either :) ) A bit lacking in know how, but that I only found out later. Blessed ignorance! :)

I definitely remember the first kiss with my husband, my toes still curl. ;)

Loved excerpt btw, you hooked me. I will have to pick it up.

Great blog, tks for bringing back the memories.

See ya in the garden!

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Anne,
I can't remember my first kiss either, too long ago. It can't have been too awe inspiring or I wouldn't have forgotten.
Cheers
Margaret