I suppose that depends on the both of you. I have been in close quarters with many friends, and felt nothing. Others I can feel whatever it is that they are feeling. There is one of my friends that I can tell if something is wrong and he lives an hour away. And he can do the same for me. He called me one morning to see if I was ok because he felt that I wasn't. Turns out I was in a minor car accident the night before (My buddy hit a deer and it nearly came through the windshield at me).
I personally have expierenced what they admit from themselves, wether conscious about it or not. Holding your friends hand may give you no certain feeling at all, or you may know exactly what is going on in their life. Everyone is different, and draws and gives off energy differently. Some have shields up to block these "transactions", and some don't even know that they have them up.
If you're curious, try it and see what happens.
