When I got on the subway on Monday, Train Guy was in his original seat.

I walked to the back of the carriage to sit as far away as possible. I opened the book I had brought along to divert my attention from him. I settled in to read when Train Guy slipped onto the seat beside me.

"Hey," he said, in his deep mellow voice.

I swallowed. My body tensed. I surveyed the carriage - almost empty. I stared back at him but couldn't say anything. He smiled; my stomach surged. I gripped my book to try to control the sensation.

"I want to apologise for my friend's behaviour last week," he said.

I froze, unable to speak and wondered why he was apologising now. I realised he hadn't had a chance the last time I had sat near him because of the brunette. I searched the carriage for her then looked back at him but didn't speak, not knowing what to say.

He gave me a puzzled expression, cocked his head, grinned and said, "Do you have trouble with English?"

I burst into laughter; he joined me. Once I had gathered myself, I waved my book. "Sorry...I was somewhere else. You took me by surprise."

He flipped my book over to read the cover and raised his eyebrows. "D. H. Lawrence. Heavy read. Are you at Uni?"

"No," I shrugged. "I like his stuff."

Train Guy grinned. "Lady Chatterley's Lover. Pretty raunchy even for today's standards."

I bit on my lip not knowing what to say and hoped he didn't think I was into porn.

His gaze trailed my face and then focused on my mouth.

I released my lip and said, "So, you read?"

Train Guy concentrated on my mouth as I talked, then looked into my eyes again. He grinned, cocked his head then said, "Yeah, I read."

A sharp pain caught in my throat. I swallowed a lump of nothing. Maybe he wasn't a complete deadbeat.

Studying me, he flicked my book with his fingers and said, "I've even read this, it's not bad."

I didn't have an answer. Uncomfortable silence seeped into my conscience.

He said, "My friend has some issues. I don't want you to think mine are the same so please ignore what he says."

Smiling, I said, "You have issues?"

He laughed, his eyes glimmered and showered me with warmth, "Don't we all?"

Chad Kroeger sang, "Gotta Meet the Hottie with the Million-dollar Body," in husky tones. Train Guy looked from me and at his phone.

"Do you like Nickelback?" I asked.

"Yeah, I do." He held his hand in salute, then walked away with the phone to his ear. "Croe."

Was that his name or the person he spoke to? I grinned. Did I tell you that he has a great arse?

When he sat, I focused on my book but kept reading the same lines over and over. God, I hate that. Don't you? I gave up, stared out the window and relived my conversation with Croe. I think he might have a good sense of humour. When I looked up, he was gone.

That night I dreamt of Train Guy. I was in an empty carriage running from a tattooed man with a hypodermic needle. His eyes were ice blue and drool oozed between razor-sharp teeth and bloody lips. I stumbled and almost fell, grabbed the chrome handrails on the seats and continued to run. The zombie man's arm stretched and nearly caught the back of my dress. I ran faster but didn't seem to move. The world turned on the spot spinning out of control. Train Guy leapt over a bench, grabbed me from the roundabout of madness and whispered in my ear, "Don't worry, honey, I won't let anyone hurt you."

I woke in horror, sobbing and struggling to breathe. Macy's words, "You might witness something that gets you killed," pounded at my brain. I had a hard time pushing them from my mind. What if she was right? What if I had witnessed something I wasn't supposed to? What if Bald man drugged me? What if Train Guy killed me? What if...? What if...?

So many what ifs.........

This Ends my 8000 words for round 2 of ONC.

Lady Chatterley's Lover was the first D. H. Lawrence book that I read. I loved it and was hooked. I read other's of his but none were as good as LCL. Has anyone else read this?

Photo copyright - Biblio

Word count 703