Wednesday, February 17, 2021

WEP & The Kiss

Update!


Woohoo!! Congrats to the other winners and to all the entries - another challenge full of brilliant writing!

I'm thrilled Reg & Jenny touched hearts of so many - thank you!!


Sin and Sunshine 

His Jenny’s lips had always been what she called fully dressed.


It had been the first thing he’d noticed about her. Those full lips had been the stuff of Reg’s fantasies for years. Decades.


She’d been wearing Crimson Poppy when they’d met at the Legion dance so long ago.


Peach Perfection on their first official date the very next weekend.


Petal the night he’d proposed.


Ruby Delight on their wedding day.


He’d kissed them all off of her until her lips were bare and she’d laughed and dressed them again.


Which had always meant Reg was kissing her again.


A man would have to be a saint to not kiss those lips when they were in kissing distance. And, as Jenny often told him with a smile, Reg was no saint.


Not when his Jenny was full of sin and sunshine.


What would her lips wear today? Passion Pink or Desert Nights? Ripeness or Luscious?


So many choices.


Colours, shades, shine, texture. He’d become a connoisseur and had his own favourites.


Crimson Poppy. Just like that first dance.


Yes, it was fitting.


First love.


First kiss.


Last love.


Last kiss.


Reg packed Crimson Poppy with the clothes Jenny had chosen last week. Then he sucked in a deep breath and held it until his emotions were under control.


His Jenny would go into the eternal with her lips fully dressed.

***

Photo of the prompt for the Kiss - a painting in gold showing two lovers kissing

The above story is part of the WEP Challenge. The prompt is The Kiss and the photo above.

Click on the link to access the other stories. There is always a ton of talent in the WEP challenge and the variety of takes on the prompt means it is always worth your time to read! It's even more fun when you join in!


53 comments:

Elephant's Child said...

Oh Jemi.
Sentimental tears here. And applause.

Anstice Brown said...

I loved the playful vibe at the beginning and wasn't expecting the punch to the gut at the end. You captured their romance beautifully. Great job.

Olga Godim said...

A wonderful tribute to love eternal. Nicely done, Jemi.

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks, Sue :)

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks Anstice - these two needed their story told :)

Jemi Fraser said...

Jenny will be waiting for Reg!

Yolanda Renée said...

Unexpected but so beautiful. You've captured their love beautifully!

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks, Renée!

Steph W. said...

So sweet! I love to read about a person's unique desires. There is something about a man who loves lipstick colors that is so endearing. A happy memory for a sad ending.

Denise Covey said...

Oh. Oh. Oh. You're so cruel to us Jemi. Love the use of lipstick shades which gave me an inkling of where you were going with your story.

Clever use of the prompt. Thank you.

N. R. Williams said...

You capture the reader so well. I can see those lips. I'm glad they shared a life time of kisses. Well written.
Nancy

Nilanjana Bose said...

Lipstick shades as a device to mark a lifetime of memories - so clever! A charming yet poignant flash and a lovely take on the prompt.

Sanhita Mukherjee said...

Fascinating. Romantic. Colorful. Enjoyed.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Jemi - fascinating take on the prompt ... particularly bringing in the lipstick shades. Scary tale - but an enjoyable read. Thank you - Hilary

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks, Steph! Those happy memories do sustain. us!

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks, Denise! The hints are always fun to put in :)

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks, Nancy! Shared lifetimes are the best :)

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks, Nila :)

Jemi Fraser said...

I'm so glad, Sanhita :)

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks, Hilary :)

Edix said...

Nicely done

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks, Edix :)

Natalie Aguirre said...

What a sweet story! I really liked it.

Carole Stolz said...

Can‘t get past the idea of „fully dressed“ lips! Love it. Great take. Suspenseful and compact.

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks so much, Natalie!

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks! I do like compact!

Bernadette said...

An interesting take on the prompt. She must have had quite a make-up kit.

cleemckenzie said...

Loved the "fully dressed" lips. Juicy and temping and worthy of an eternity of kisses. Great job, Jemi.

Jemima Pett said...

Oh, how sad, but how beautiful also. Lovely idea for the prompt. Well done!

Jemi Fraser said...

LOL - probably!

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks, Jemima!

L.G. Keltner said...

This one hit me hard. I love the way you explored their relationship through the lipsticks she wore and the kisses that followed. That ending packed a punch. Wonderfully written!

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks so much, Laura!

Rebecca M. Douglass said...

Oh. Really sad, but beautifully done.

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks Rebecca - it was an 'achy' one to put together!

Nick Wilford said...

That was devastating at the end. But beautiful too. A picture of true love.

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks Nick - a lifetime of love is what we aim for!

Toi Thomas said...

Wow! so simple and sad, yet lovely. wasn't expecting that end. Nicely done.

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks, Toi. It still gets me when I think of Reg :)

Kalpana said...

This was so moving Jemi. How you played with our emotions. I was at first carried away by the first meeting, first date, first kiss and was moved to tears by the last line.

Jemi Fraser said...

Oh, thanks, Kalpana! Poor Reg - but that lifetime of love will sustain him!

Ornery Owl of Naughty Netherworld Press and Readers Roost said...

A bittersweet story, almost poetic. Jenny and Reg sound like they were the perfect match.
Sorry to be so late in commenting. I'm still making the rounds.

Pat Garcia said...

Hi Jemi,
Congratulations! I really like your story. It made me feel good to see you venture out into something that no one expected.
Great Job.
Shalom aleichem

Jemi Fraser said...

Thank you! Life is so crazy right now, it's hard to keep up, isn't it?

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks so much, Pat! It was a bit of a heart-hurt to write, but those are often the ones we need to write.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Jemi - congratulations ... so pleased for you - I'll never look at lipstick colours again without drafting a story of sorts! Congratulations on the 'heart-hurt' story - always difficult ... all the best - Hilary

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks, Hilary! The names have always made me smile - and I don't even own lipstick!!

A Hundred Quills said...

Awww Jemi, that deeply touched me. No wonder your romance sagas do so well! Congratulations!
-Sonia from https://soniadogra.com

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks so much, Sonia - that means a lot!

Toi Thomas said...

Congrats on your prize. So deserving. Wonderful story.

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks so much, Toi! Your words mean a lot :)

Tanya Miranda said...

Gorgeous ending. Simply gorgeous.

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks so much, Tanya!