Can you contact hpv even when no lesions are present?

No : Hpv or human pappiloma virus is the agent for warts. It multiplies on human skin and therefore will always produce some mark of their presence. It may be flat and very small in the early stages as to escape notice of casual inspection but it always grow into a noticeable lesion given enough time. If your partner has it you'll see a lesion and if you get it you'll see a lesion eventually.

Yes: This is a family of viruses that contains more than 100 strains.At least a dozen strains pass as genital infections.A few produce noticeable genital warts during their active phase but many genital strains act internally and you may never know you acquired or can pass these strains.Pre-vaccine era studies have reported as many as 70% of college age women had blood test evidence of prior infection