The importance of kissing

If you're into long-term coupling, don't let kissing fall by the wayside. Here's how to keep things fresh

By Carol Muskoron

When your bloke comes home does he get a) a cup of tea b) a peck on the cheek or c) a full-on snog? Most couples start off their relationship using the c) option every night, but gradually slip down to b) and it isn't long before it's a) all the way. Weird really, because a) is actually the most time-consuming, b) is a bit boring and c) is really very, very nice!

And as well as being so pleasurable, French kissing plays an important part of a relationship. It acts as a bridge between love-making and the rest of life; a way to keep up the vital intimacy between you and your partner when you're not making love. If you don't keep up your kissing quota you run a risk of losing that intimacy, of forgetting how special it is to go tongue-to-tongue together.

Squeeze in more smooching
But how can you fit more kissing into your day? You're so busy... You don't have time for it... You've forgotten how... Excuses, excuses! We're not suggesting you have to have great long snogs all the time, but a few quickies here and there when he's least expecting it will really wake up his interest, and yours.

So, turn to him while you're both alone in the kitchen stirring the spag bol... and snog. Come up behind him when he's brushing his teeth, get rid of that brush... and snog. Stuck at the traffic lights... you know what you've gotta do! And if you're shy about French kissing when others might see, just stick to the odd snog in the house. Once you start looking for French kissing opportunities, you'll be amazed at how many there are!

Shine up your skills
Need to brush up your kissing skills? Here's how to give (and get) a gorgeous kiss. Keep your lips firm, gently probe his mouth with your tongue, flicking in and out until you feel ready for really intertwining with his tongue. Then once you've been at it for a few moments, back off a little, close your lips and come in again with the gentle probing. Keeping your eyes open gives you a nice soft focus; closed gives you a heady, dreamy, floating sensation. A bit of both is perfect.

Sensual delights
If you've been kissing enough in the day, by the time you get into bed you may be ready to explore elsewhere with your tongues. Recent research shows that tongues are far more sensitive than fingertips, so make the most of it and lap him up!

Go for the ear. Flick the ear lobe with your tongue, then give it a nibble. Move on to the neck, sweeping great spine-tingling licks up and down. Don't miss out the nipples - most men love having theirs kissed as much as we do. The belly - often ignored, but a wonderful area to plant big wet kisses all over. Backs of knees, soles of feet and toes are also good, sensitive zones to pucker up to. And when you're ready to make love, head back up to his mouth again. Mmmmm... Kissing really can make everything better, can't it?

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