Tuesday Testimonial: The Kiss

Maybe it's because I'm sick, or maybe it's because my husband was sick before I got sick and now that he is better he doesn't want to get sick... whatever, but my mind has been meandering on The Kiss. Maybe because I miss it.
As you may know, I have been editing. Editing editing editing. Several different stories. And my heart still always skips around and pounds when I get to The Kiss. And I got to thinking, is this what I love about the Romance genre?
No. It's not the only thing. I love the meet, I love the chemistry, I love the conflict, the symbolism, the banter, the fight, the play, the devastation... I love it all.
But I tell you what... I was pretty ticked off at the end of Clash of the Titans. WHAT? A side hug? OH COME ON.
Sheesh.

So, yeah, maybe The Kiss is pretty high up there on my priority list.

Actually, my first experience with writing a kiss (you thought I was going to share a personal story, didn't you? Ha.) was also my first experience with my characters taking off on their own. I had no intention of a first kiss taking place at that particular point in the story, and then my male lead said, "Uh, yeah, I think so," and I gasped, really, out loud, and said, "Oh my gosh he's going to kiss her," and my fingers kept on flying over the keyboard, detached from my intentions.
After I finished the scene, my husband walked through the room.
"Honey, you will never guess what just happened."
"What?"
"Derick just kissed Alisen and there was NOTHING I could do about it."
"Good for him."
"No, you don't understand. I did NOT mean for it to happen then. They're not supposed to kiss until later."
"Hm. Well, sometimes, we just can't help ourselves." He grinned, sauntered over, and planted one on me. Mmm.

But he totally missed the point. And besides, it took HIM four weeks to kiss me the first time.

I was astounded by what had happened.
I took it to my writing group, and they agreed. Though it was a breath-taking moment, Derick had jumped the gun. It was too soon. I cut The Kiss. Fortunately for him, and me, the perfect time came not too much later, and since I had already written the breath-taking moment, it was easy to slip it in. Er.

So, as a treat, I'm sharing a kiss from THE ORCHARD. It's not the first kiss, because I don't want to give that away. Enjoy.

He’d had enough of two things: One, her father’s mind games, intentional or not, angered him, had his defenses up, and he didn’t want to feel that way right now; and, two, Alisen was so close, playing with his hand, turning her face up to his, opening herself up to him so honestly. His arm around her shoulder constricted, pulling her up to him.

His mouth met hers, the salt on her lips accentuating the sweetness of her skin. She responded and her hand traced his cheek to his jaw, his neck, then reached around and fingered his hair. He stopped kissing her and brushed her eyelashes and cheekbones with the tip of his nose.

“Alisen?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you for telling me.”

“Derick?”

“Yes?”

“I’ll tell you anything.”

Her lips found his again.

They were a little lightheaded when they left the rock.

Whew. Anyway, I've been wondering, do you have a favorite Kiss moment, from movies or literature? Share it!

In the meantime, I'm high-dosing the Vitamin C.



*UPDATE: I just got word on my submission of THE INN! Covenant likes it, the rewrite suggestions are where my concerns were anyway, and I can breathe as my mind works to address the revisions! HOORAY!! *skip around the room*