Thursday, April 28, 2005

Kiss and Slap: Concerning ABC’s “Lost”

As I said, I write erotic romance stories, so needless to say, copulation happens. Nevertheless, I must confess that to me the most effective turn-ons are the kissing scenes. In March I won eCataRomance’s “Smooch of the Month” Award for a kiss from Soulful Sex Volume II which apparently did the trick for a lot of people, so I’m not alone.

Nor, do I imagine, was I alone in my sentiments last night during the special clip-show recap of ABC’s hit show, “Lost.” I tuned in basically to see The Kiss again, and from all the computer
wallpapers I’ve seen dedicated to that theme, I bet a lot of people were likewise motivated.

The Kiss occurred between Sawyer (the sardonically witty former con man whose past justifies his misdeeds) and Kate (the sweet-faced former bank robber/murderer whose past justifies her misdeeds). What a perfect set-up for sexual tension: Sawyer is a nice guy who poses as a bad boy and has pursued Kate for weeks. Kate gives every outward indication of being good, and the last thing she wants is an association with someone aligned with the values of her shameful past. So she won’t give Sawyer the time of day, until the castaways desperately need something from him and the price for it is Kate’s kiss.

So, need requires she set aside her honor and kiss this wretch. Oh darn. Of course, out here in TV Land, “Lost” fans are on the edges of their seats to see if the moment of physical intimacy will reveal Kate’s true feelings for Sawyer. After all, they have the connection of a ignominious past--the sort of shared experience no one else on the island can quite understand. (Well, actually the cast is rife with ignominious pasts, but they don’t know that.) But which will prove stronger, lust or pride?

C’mon, everybody, join with me: Lust, lust, lust, lust!

So: Kate leans in, Sawyer’s face is expectant in a way that seems very ingenuous. Their lips touch…and it’s a chaste, gentle kiss. She pulls back, just a little bit…

And we have arrived at the Super-Erotic Moment.

Everything turns upon what happens next. The stakes are at their highest. A pause…

And Kate leans back in. Hallelujah!

The next kiss is deeper, and you can tell instantly her heart is in it. So can Sawyer: the sudden appearance of his tongue proves that. The tension accelerates. A third kiss, and the dam has broken: at this point they look like long-term lovers starved for each other’s flesh.

Is this a great kiss or what? Of course it is, because if it weren’t, Kate would have pulled away. The proof is in the storyline: she shunned this guy for weeks, but one touch of his lips and all her resolve is vaporized. Boy, that’s good.

But wait, there’s more delight to come. What will be Sawyer’s reaction to his triumph? Will he grin and gloat, revealing the thrill was derived from victory? Or will we see a much more appealing aspect of his character unveiled?

Happily, the answer is B. Kate draws back, they open their eyes, and Sawyer looks like a man in love, a man swept off his feet, dazed and entranced. Jackpot!

The perfect Super-Erotic Kissing Scene. Thank you, “Lost” scriptwriters!

But wait, there’s still more! Kate immediately claims her part of the deal: “Okay, give me the inhalers,” she says to Sawyer.

“I don’t have them,” he replies, with open faced honesty.

And she slaps him! Hard! So in a moment, these brilliant scriptwriters have reset the program, Kate and Sawyer are back at odds, and we can have all manner of additional tension between them in the future.

Sometimes I think the only thing better than a kiss, is a kiss followed by a slap. In fiction, anyway.

1 comment:

Diana Laurence said...

I think this is the mistake too many current erotic novels make. The authors, striving to be as "raw" as one can be without actually drinking testosterone first, cut to the sex too quickly. I like to draw out the lust and longing a long time before the KISS even arrives. And after that, more torture before the clothes come off. I don't know...as far as kissing goes, I've always wondered if I have twice as many nerve endings in my lips as the average male does...