Nikhil(54)

"I... yes," she said, her breath catching at his gentle caress.

"What does it mean?" he asked, his eyes glowing softly into hers.

"It is normally a gesture of courtesy or respect between diplomats, people in government, or royalty."

"And the kissing of the palm," he asked, turning her hand over placing another soft kiss there.

"It's more intimate, caring, given only to someone you love or care a great deal about."

"You have done this before?" he questioned and tried not to be upset when he could see she had.

"Yes, with my grandpa."

"Grandpa." Nikhil frowned, hating that he did not understand the word.

"My manno's manno," she told him, realizing not all the words she was using translated into Kaliszian. "He was ill... dying. I sat beside him. Held his hand." She reversed their hands. "And did this." She tipped her head into his hand and lovingly kissed his palm.

"It is full of affection, of devotion. It even feels comforting," he said in a hushed tone.

"Yes, because that's what I felt for him. He raised me after my manno died and my mother abandoned me."

"Your mother did what?" It was then that Nikhil realized he knew very little about his Mackenzie. Oh, he knew what had happened to her but nothing about her life before that.

"She fell apart after my manno died and could barely function. I was only six, and she couldn't deal with it and me."

"When did she return?"

"She never did. It was just me and grandpa until he died. Then it was just me."

"You were forced to survive on your own?" That explained a great deal.

"I guess you could say that, but it wasn't like I was thrown out onto the street. I still had my mountain."

"Mountain... you mean...”

"Mountain," she told him firmly. "My grandpa's family has had the honor of caring for it for centuries."

"You cared for land? For the creatures and life it supported?"

"Yes. We ran a guide business on it."

"Guide business?"

"Earth has a very diverse society. Some live in large cities, some live in smaller towns, and some live in the country. Many like to go to places and spend time where no one lives. Grandpa and I would take them there on our mountain."

"You would... escort groups around your land?"

"Yes, it was what I was doing when the Ganglians found us."

Nikhil silently stared at her for a moment, realizing that his True Mate was a leader of people and a caretaker of the land. She was amazing, and he wanted to know more. "Tell me more."

"About kissing? I don't know what else to tell you. We kiss friends and family members on the cheek."

"We do this too... but only with females." He waited for her to continue.

"So I suppose now you want to know about kissing on the lips."

"I would," he said carefully. "The males you have kissed...”

"There were only two."

"Two.”

"Yes."

"They were... special to you?"

"One was. I thought... well it doesn't matter what I thought, and the other, it was just a first kiss."

"First kiss," he repeated.

"Yes. I liked him. We went out on a date, and when it ended, we kissed goodnight on the lips. It is a common way to end a date. It wasn't the same way I kissed you."

"In what way?"

"It was closed lips."

"Closed...” Nikhil thought back to how her tongue had caressed his and was relieved that it wasn't something she had shared with one not special to her. It made him think. "So what is it that you do share with a male that is special to you?"

"I... that...” Mac found herself blushing.

"Mackenzie," Nikhil frowned at her reaction. "What is wrong? Why won't you tell me?"

"It's not that I don't want to tell you, it's just something that isn't normally talked about on Earth. We just know, like you do with kissing."

"But I don't know."

"I know... You said you had received... friendship from females before."

"Yes." Nikhil frowned at her. What did that have to do with anything?

"How old were you the first time?"

"I was still in my training. She...”

"I don't want to hear about it!" she cut him off, jerking her hand from his.

"Mackenzie, why are you so upset with who I have joined with?"

"Why were you so upset with who I've kissed?!!" she fired back.

"But they aren't the same thing."

"No, they’re not."

"I... are you saying that for you... a male and female joining is the most intimate act for your people."