The first time they kissed she was upset and had been drinking, she kissed him and he ended the kiss before things had a chance to go further.
Not because he didn't want her because he did, he wanted her so much it both mentally and physically hurt.
But he felt it would be taking advantage her and did the right thing an stopped it before going any further.
The second time they kissed was they both sober and minutes from possible death.
Neither one wanted to die without the other one knowing how the other one felt even they couldn't express it in actual words.
They barely made out of the situation alive both were bruised for weeks afterwards and neither one brought up the matter of the kiss.
Their third kiss the one they tell their friends about, the one they actually talked about afterwards and led to them getting married happened out completely out of the blue.
There was no possible death situation for once or emotional turmoil made worse by alcohol.
No, one minute they talk and the next kissing.
Phil would swear Melinda had kissed him first and she would say it was the other way around, but their friends didn't care who kissed who first.
They were just glad that the pair had finally figured out what everyone else knew, they were made for each other.