Read Online Surfacing the Rim (Piercing The Fold) by Venessa Kimball - Free Book Online
Authors: Venessa Kimball
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thoughts because of our agreement. Before I can ask Nate what he meant by making sure we are safe tonight, Mr. Getty dives into introducing the extensive menu of gourmet goodness. I decide to let it go and try to enjoy myself.
I bite into a slice of sweet cornbread. Nate’s eyes are on me the whole time, watching my every reaction.
He says, “It’s beautiful here.”
I finish swallowing my bite of cornbread and look around. “It’s amazing!”
I’m mesmerized by the sound of the waterfall when I hear music begin in the background.
I look around to hear where it’s coming from, and then I turn to Nate. “Wow, you thought of everything.”
Nate grins. “That wasn’t me.” He points in the direction beyond me.
I turn to see Mr. Getty and, I assume, Mrs. Getty peering out the interior building door. They quickly move away when they see us looking back at them.
I turn back toward Nate to see he’s still grinning from ear to ear. “And the menu?”
Nate swallows his cornbread and clears his throat. “That was me. I figured some good ol’ Southern food would make you very happy.”
I nod my head. “I’m beyond happy, Nate. Thank you.”
After another bite of my cornbread, I wipe my mouth with my napkin. “Alright. Normal date talk. Well, as normal as normal can be for us.”
He leans in, eager to start our normal conversation. “Okay. Ready.”
Under the table my hands are fidgeting nervously. “How many girlfriends have you had?”
Nate smirks. “Wow, Jes. You don’t beat around the bush, do you?”
I react defensively. “Hey! It’s not like this is a blind date. We’ve been living under the same roof for two months. This is normal date convo for us.” I smile. “Plus, I have a feeling you want to know the same thing about me.”
He puts his hands up, surrendering. “Very true. Let’s see. Where to start?” Nate begins counting on his fingers. “Well, there was JoBeth Henderson, Sarah Cartwright, Amberly Smith, and Marissa Gordon.” Nate looks off in the distance and smiles. “And, I can’t forget Natasha Greene.”
The way he said her name sparks my possessive streak. “Alright! Don’t get too excited while we cruise down memory lane!”
He rolls his eyes and laughs. “Okay. Now you. How many boy toys have you had?”
I growl. “Really? Boy toys?” I clear my throat and lean on the table. I’m dead serious now. “Just two. Sam Abernathy and Cord Stewart.”
Nate skeptically looks at me. “Really? Just two?”
I sit back, folding my arms across my chest. “Yes, just two. Why? Do you think I dated the entire swim team or something?”
His eyes don’t leave mine. “No. It’s just…I would think that every guy that has met you would do whatever they had to just to be near you.”
His words are completely sincere and leave me nearly speechless. I stutter when I answer, “It…it was more complicated than that.”
Nate’s eyes shift to his plate briefly. “Yeah, my relationships seemed to bear similar complications. Maybe that’s why they all ended quickly. They just weren’t the right one.”
I’m getting hot. I repeatedly tell myself that he didn’t mean me when he said “the right one.” I go back to eating quietly, trying to distract my wandering mind.
Nate asks the next question. “So, were you attending college before everything happened?”
I look up at him, nodding, as I swallow my last bite of bread. “Yes, I went to Southern Polytechnic State University. I was just wrapping up my basics when…” I stop myself before I carry on.
No shop talk, Jes.
I wipe my mouth quickly with my napkin, and I turn the tables on Nate. “And you? Were you going to school?”
Nate leans back in his chair a little. “Yeah, I went to the University of Colorado. I was studying mechanical engineering.”
Nate’s eyes look beyond me toward the kitchen door, and a smile spreads across his face. “Dinner is here.” He wipes his mouth with his napkin.
I turn to
I bite into a slice of sweet cornbread. Nate’s eyes are on me the whole time, watching my every reaction.
He says, “It’s beautiful here.”
I finish swallowing my bite of cornbread and look around. “It’s amazing!”
I’m mesmerized by the sound of the waterfall when I hear music begin in the background.
I look around to hear where it’s coming from, and then I turn to Nate. “Wow, you thought of everything.”
Nate grins. “That wasn’t me.” He points in the direction beyond me.
I turn to see Mr. Getty and, I assume, Mrs. Getty peering out the interior building door. They quickly move away when they see us looking back at them.
I turn back toward Nate to see he’s still grinning from ear to ear. “And the menu?”
Nate swallows his cornbread and clears his throat. “That was me. I figured some good ol’ Southern food would make you very happy.”
I nod my head. “I’m beyond happy, Nate. Thank you.”
After another bite of my cornbread, I wipe my mouth with my napkin. “Alright. Normal date talk. Well, as normal as normal can be for us.”
He leans in, eager to start our normal conversation. “Okay. Ready.”
Under the table my hands are fidgeting nervously. “How many girlfriends have you had?”
Nate smirks. “Wow, Jes. You don’t beat around the bush, do you?”
I react defensively. “Hey! It’s not like this is a blind date. We’ve been living under the same roof for two months. This is normal date convo for us.” I smile. “Plus, I have a feeling you want to know the same thing about me.”
He puts his hands up, surrendering. “Very true. Let’s see. Where to start?” Nate begins counting on his fingers. “Well, there was JoBeth Henderson, Sarah Cartwright, Amberly Smith, and Marissa Gordon.” Nate looks off in the distance and smiles. “And, I can’t forget Natasha Greene.”
The way he said her name sparks my possessive streak. “Alright! Don’t get too excited while we cruise down memory lane!”
He rolls his eyes and laughs. “Okay. Now you. How many boy toys have you had?”
I growl. “Really? Boy toys?” I clear my throat and lean on the table. I’m dead serious now. “Just two. Sam Abernathy and Cord Stewart.”
Nate skeptically looks at me. “Really? Just two?”
I sit back, folding my arms across my chest. “Yes, just two. Why? Do you think I dated the entire swim team or something?”
His eyes don’t leave mine. “No. It’s just…I would think that every guy that has met you would do whatever they had to just to be near you.”
His words are completely sincere and leave me nearly speechless. I stutter when I answer, “It…it was more complicated than that.”
Nate’s eyes shift to his plate briefly. “Yeah, my relationships seemed to bear similar complications. Maybe that’s why they all ended quickly. They just weren’t the right one.”
I’m getting hot. I repeatedly tell myself that he didn’t mean me when he said “the right one.” I go back to eating quietly, trying to distract my wandering mind.
Nate asks the next question. “So, were you attending college before everything happened?”
I look up at him, nodding, as I swallow my last bite of bread. “Yes, I went to Southern Polytechnic State University. I was just wrapping up my basics when…” I stop myself before I carry on.
No shop talk, Jes.
I wipe my mouth quickly with my napkin, and I turn the tables on Nate. “And you? Were you going to school?”
Nate leans back in his chair a little. “Yeah, I went to the University of Colorado. I was studying mechanical engineering.”
Nate’s eyes look beyond me toward the kitchen door, and a smile spreads across his face. “Dinner is here.” He wipes his mouth with his napkin.
I turn to
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