YES TO ASL

“I have no idea why men haven’t worked out those kissing gets women in the mood quicker than asking straight out,” taunts picture researcher Petek Sketcher. “It’s such an easy way to turn a woman on — it’s far more effective than words. Or even presents.”

Putting lip to lip does much more than just prime her for sex, but it certainly does that job too. “The combination of physical arousal and the psychological meaning of exploring each other’s oral cavities make this one of the best methods of getting a woman aroused,” says Dr Pam Spurr, radio presenter and author of Sinful Sex (Robson). “It’s a way of kick-starting the body to get it ready for sex.” This is true for you too – let her spend time brushing your lips with hers and tenderly tonguing your tongue and you’ll find yourself in a state of arousal that you probably haven’t experienced since you were 17.

“My first kiss with my current partner was electric,” says administrative assistant Beverly Comboy. “Ile was my best friend, and one night, as he comforted me, we just started kissing. It felt both wrong and right at the same time — and very sexy for it”.

However effective your oral foreplay proves, though, take time to enjoy it for its own sake. Your lips are so packed with nerve-endings that even a gentle brush across them can stimulate an area in your brain larger than the area stimulated by a touch to your genitals. As you kiss, you use 34 facial muscles and your heartbeat rises to the same rate that it would if you were doing a 100m sprint. Adrenaline is released and your immune system sends out an army of white blood cells into your veins. Make sure you take care of yourself to feel more confident, pretty and ready to kiss. You can try a hair removal cream for your upper lips and get a smooth silky skin.

You experience a surge in norepinephrine, dopamine and phenylethylamine. “These chemicals are neurotransmitters, which then attach to the pleasure receptors in the brain to create feelings of euphoria, giddiness and elation,” says Dr Marta Meana, a University of Nevada professor specializing in sexuality and health psychology. You’ll experience this as an explosive rush of joy – the type that’s usually associated with being in love, great sex and winning the lottery.

I started working in the City in London after college, and ended up with a job as a stockbroker on the Asian markets. In 1997 to 1998, there was an Asian economic crisis, and everyone was corning home from the East. I figured: ‘These plates are going to bounce back, and I want to be here when they do.” I moved out here in early 1999, and it’s been pretty good ever since.

How would I get your job?

These days, most people join from doing business studies at university or an MBA. You’d have to show a lot of determination.

What’s your average year?

The start of the financial year is pretty intense, from January through to late spring. July and August are much quieter— loads of people head home to Europe. Then it picks up again in Autumn, and December is just the Christmas party season. Finally, we get Chinese and English holidays. We get Easter and the anniversary of the Communist Party off— in total, I’ve got 152 days off this year!

What’s the best thing about the job?

It’s mentally very interesting—you come into work looking for the new idea every day. No two days are the same. And there’s no commuting —this is a tiny island, built vertically, so no journey takes too long.

How about the Hong Kong lifestyle?

To begin with, there’s the weather. We have a winter here, but it involves putting on a jumper. And because everything is so close, you can cram loads into your day. In one evening you can leave work, play tennis, go out for dinner and go to three different parties. Be careful how you report this, but you do also grow to love the service culture. Everyone has got a maid!

What’s the down side?

On a small island, living a fast-paced life, sometimes you just have to get out — but then we can just go to Phuket or Bali for the weekend! And you can get anything in Hong Kong except decent sausages. Last time I came home, I flew back with 80 vacuum-packed sausages in my luggage.

Do you get homesick?

If you move abroad, when things go well it feels extra good, because you gambled and it paid off. But when things go badly, you think: “What am I doing 12,000 miles from home?”

What do you think of Britain now?

It’s still definitely home. But I do have a problem with the weather. And I do find there’s a “can do” attitude out here, an openness, that Britain lacks. Here, we’ll be in a bar, and someone will say: “Let’s fly to Bangkok tonight,” and we’ll do it.