My first wife used to cover me with red lipstick kisses before we made love. I must admit, it really turned me on. I would watch her applying it while standing in front of a mirror. After finishing, she would turn to me and begin kissing me all over my face and neck.

One night we had a terrible argument after having too much to drink at a party. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but she had bruised my male ego.

The party we had been at was both indoors and out. There was a badminton net in the backyard and we started playing. At first, we just volleyed back and forth, but then started a game. Some women started watching us and keeping score.

The first game was close, but she pulled ahead toward the end and won 15 - 12, receiving a loud applause from the women spectators. During the second game, the women started really getting into the game, calling it a battle of sexes. When she won decisively (15 - 7), they cheered all the louder.

I started to walk off the playing field, thinking we had played enough when my wife yelled out; "What's the matter, afraid to get beaten by a woman in front of everyone?" I agreed to play another game and got soundly trounced. I think it was around 15 - 3. We stayed about two more hours and consumed more margueritas than we should have.

While we were driving home, she kept talking about how much fun it had been. My replies were short and with a bit of an edge. After a while, she became angry about my attitude and things started to escalate.

When we got home, it got much worse. At some point, I said something really ugly and she whirled around and socked me right in the eye, knocking me flat on the floor. I'm not sure if I was knocked unconscious or not, but the next thing I knew, I got hit with my pillow, which she had thrown. She stormed off upstairs and locked our bedroom door. I staggered over to a sofa and fell asleep.

I really should have put ice on my eye before falling asleep because, in the morning, it was almost swollen shut. My eye was all bloodshot and the bruising around it was dark black and blue. I was so mad at my wife. How was I going to explain this very black and swollen eye to everyone in the coming week?

I think my wife was a little shocked when she saw what she had done. However, she didn't say anything and we stayed clear of each other for most of the day.

In the evening I was watching a football when my wife came in the room dressed rather provocatively and with her red lipstick on. She sat down next to me. I tried to ignore her and watch the game, but then she began kissing me. I kept trying to hold on to my anger but she was wearing me down. After a couple of minutes, I took a glance at our reflection in a mirror on the wall. She looked at the mirror the same time and our eyes met.

I probably had a dozen red lipstick all over my checks, forehead, neck, everywhere except close to the black eye (It was real sore). We both broke up laughing. Then we started laughing about the whole situation, the badminton game, the argument, and the black eye.

She went and got her camera and set up a timed picture of us embracing - me with my black eye and covered with lipstick kisses. She had it framed and used to show it to her friends and tell them the story behind it. Funny thing, neither of us could remember what I had said before she let me have it. While telling the story, she used to say; "we can't remember what he said, but whatever it was, he knows better than to say it again."

We didn't over-indulge ourselves with alcohol very much after that. I learned not to say hurtful or damaging things when we argued. Also, I worked at overcoming my fragile male ego. Fact was, she was a better athlete than I and regularly beat me in tennis, badminton, volleyball, ping pong... you name it. She even beat me a few times arm wrestling. I didn't mind so much, as long as it was just between us.

She came to realize that she had a hot temper and worked to mellow out some. She also came to a better understanding of the male ego and how easily it could be bruised. I loved that woman.

I lost her to breast cancer after 13 years of marriage. I sure do miss her.