Read Online Central by Raine Thomas - Free Book Online

indicating realization. Now he saw her flush as she reached up to twist a lock of her hair around her finger. “I didn’t realize…”
    He felt himself tensing again. But he forced himself to remain quiet and listen.
    She caught his gaze and said, “I wasn’t staring at Gabriel, exactly. I was just watching him interact with Amber.”
    “I see.” He didn’t. Not really. But he wanted to, and that had to count for something. In an effort to try and understand more clearly, he said, “He does touch her a lot.”
    She said softly, “Yes.”
    “She does not like to be touched by anyone else. I have wondered why it is he shows his feelings for her that way when she is generally opposed to it.”
    She sighed and moved over to sit down on a fallen log. He followed her and sat beside her. The skirt of her dress touched the side of his right leg. She gently folded her hands in her lap as she collected her thoughts.
    “Humans convey many things through touch,” she explained, looking into his eyes. “It is very often a sign of comfort, affection or love. But the ease of accepting these gestures is instilled in humans in our young and formative years. Amber’s childhood on the human plane was full of turmoil, leaving her leery of gestures of affection. Once she was placed in the same foster home as Gabriel, he taught her how to accept love.”
    “By touching her?”
    Now, she smiled. “No. In fact, I believe he initially showed his love by not touching her. Not until she was ready.”
    He frowned. “I do not understand.”
    As usual, she didn’t grow impatient or irritated with him. She appeared to be trying to think of how to explain better. “Humans have what is called ‘personal space,’” she said after a moment. “Some people require more of it than others. The ability to interpret another person’s willingness to accept physical contact by another person is something we learn as we mature. Well, some of us do.”
    “Ah, yes. Archigos Gabriel explained this concept to us after the Becoming ceremony. Along with the information about the human need for privacy and human female menstrual cycles, something our females do not have.”
    Olivia blinked. She started to say something, then stopped. Her mouth opened a second time, then closed. He watched this with rapt fascination, wondering what he had said to cause the reaction. She ultimately cleared her throat and said, “I imagine that wasn’t one of Gabriel’s favorite conversations of all time.” She sounded distinctly humored.
    One corner of his mouth rose. “Now that you mention it, he did seem rather uncomfortable.”
    She nodded. “Yet he discussed it with you, anyway. Because he knew it would make the three of us uncomfortable when it came up and he wanted to help ease our discomfort. Thoughtfulness such as that sets him apart from many others.”
    She looked back into the center of the clearing and then got to her feet and moved again into the moonlight. He stood and followed her. When she spoke, he had to stand close to her to hear her. “In answer to your initial question, I watch Gabriel interact with Amber because it represents to me the best things about humanity. He touches her to offer her comfort and to show affection and love. He has taught her to do the same with him. They share a very special connection. It makes me unbelievably happy for them both, and a little wistful. Their relationship is something most people on the human plane seek and hope to have.”
    James considered all of this in silence. She had just put into words some of the very things that he hadn’t even realized rested in the back of his own mind. This was why he so enjoyed conversing with her. She opened doors for him.
    “Estilorians do not put so much meaning into touch,” he admitted. “Physical interaction for us is done really out of necessity. We cannot conceive children with each other like humans do, as you know. Centuries of this knowledge has evolved into