on kisses

Nor had James ever kissed [Caroline], except lightly on the cheek, in greeting or farewell, and he had always kept his lips firmly together when bestowing these chaste kisses.

"Your kisses are very light," she had playfully remarked after one such exchange. "And they're always on the cheek."

James had looked at her in surprise. "But where else would one kiss?"

She stared at him. "Well, sometimes people kiss one another on the lips," she said. "Haven't you seen that? In films?"

James frowned. "Of course. But I've always regarded that as being a little bit . . . well, a little bit unhygienic. Like taking communion from the common chalice. All those germs swimming around in the communion wine. Same thing with mouths."

Caroline sighed. "We all have germs, James," she said. "And it does no harm to share them from time to time -- especially with people you really like."

"Oh," said James. "To boost one's immune system?"

-- from The Dog Who Came in from the Cold
by Alexander McCall Smith

May your Valentine's Day (or Thanksgiving, as Garrett keeps calling it) be filled with immune-boosting kisses on the lips!