Hot Kissing Tips

Bruce Springsteen wasn't exaggerating the power of a kiss when he crooned "'Cause when we kiss. Ooh, fire." It's true that kissing can be a real turn-on: "It causes the release of endorphins, chemicals that make us feel good. And because it is both physically and emotionally stimulating -- involving all of our sense at once -- it may be the most potent aphrodisiac that a couple has at their disposal," explains Hilda Hutcherson, M.D., author of What Your Mother Never Told You About S-E-X.

"Kissing is one of the best ways to get all the juices flowing," agrees Lou Paget, sex expert and author of How To Be A Great Lover, but there's an art to mastering those sublime, go-weak-in-the-knees smooches. Want to leave your guy breathless? These sizzling, tried-and-true techniques from Paget are guaranteed to steam things up a few notches:

Hot kissing dos and don'ts

1. Don't give a close-lipped kiss. Tight, closed lips feel frigid and are not associated with passion. No one likes to kiss a dead fish.
2. When your lips touch his skin, he should be able to feel the inside rim of your lips, not just the outside. Try it on your own hand to see the difference.
3. Add your tongue intermittently at first, gradually increasing its involvement in each kiss. Make sure your tongue is not moving in and out of your mouth so quickly that it resembles a woodpecker. This is NOT a turn-on.
4. Pretend you just finished brushing your teeth. Run your tongue along your teeth and gum lines as if you were checking to make sure they're clean. Do the exact same thing in his mouth while kissing (although you'll be using the underside of your tongue to do it), and see what kind of a reaction you get.
5. Men love to be kissed, nibbled and nuzzled, but again, it's important to move slowly and explore every inch of his body like a newfound treasure. Hot zones to try: Earlobes, nipples, neck, belly button, the small of his back, the back of his knees.
6. As things start to heat up and you move on to other elements of foreplay, you are likely to find yourself far from his lips. The lips are home base to sensuality, and wherever you roam, remember to go home. Think of kissing his lips as gunning his sexual engine. You need to keep it revved up.
7. Go oh-so-slowly. The more excited he gets, the faster he'll want to go. But don't forget it is these slow, mindful moves that got him excited initially. Don't rush or let him rush you.