Read Online Controlled: The Dollhouse, Part Two by Stacia Stone - Free Book Online
Authors: Stacia Stone
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settled in on the seat next to me, close enough that I fell into him when the train suddenly pulled out of the station. His arm slipped around my shoulders to steady me and then stayed. “I’m in a band.”
“ I could have guessed ,” I said with a small smile. Something about the way he carried himself said that he was used to being in front of a crowd. “What instrument do you play?”
“ B ass guitar .”
“ A w ,” I said, feigning disappointment. “You’re not the sexy frontman? That’s too bad.”
H e dramatically clutched at his chest. “You’re breaking my heart, lady.”
“ S omething tells me your heart can take it.” I laughed
“ T hat depends , “ he said, voice sly. “Is dozen roses guy still in the picture?”
I shifted in the seat , suddenly uncomfortable. “What makes you think the roses were from a guy? Maybe my grandmother sent them.”
“ N ice try . Nobodies grandma sends flowers like that.”
I thought about leaving him hanging, but I wasn’t the type of girl to tease. Julian was firmly in my past and I was determined for him to stay there. “There’s no guy, roses notwithstanding.”
“ M usic to my ears ,” he said with a grin.
“ S o you cater , deliver flowers and you’re in a band,” I said, wanting to change the subject. “Anything else I need to know?”
“ I work a lot of random jobs, but the band has really got most of my focus right now.”
“ H oping to make it big ?”
H e shook his head , looking a little embarrassed. “It sounds stupid when you say it like that.”
“ N o , it’s good to have a dream. You can’t have what you imagine having.”
Z ach reached up and gently tugged on one of my curls. “You’re a pretty cool girl.”
“ Y ou’re not so bad yourself.”
I felt more relaxed than I had in a long time. Being with Zach was easy. I didn’t have to constantly wonder what he was going to do or what he wanted from me.
T oo easy , said a treacherous little voice inside of me.
“ W here are we headed ?” I asked, to distract myself from the dangerous thoughts.
“ I t’s a surprise ,” he said, waggling his eyebrows in a way that made me laugh. “But I think you’ll like it.”
Z ach stood when the train pulled into the next station and he guided me up with him. The doors whooshed closed behind me just as I stepped onto the platform.
W e exited the station and ended up on a busy street.
“ T his way .” He grabbed my hand and led me down the sidewalk. We naturally fell into step together as we walked.
W e walked by a cute Asian bistro and an Italian restaurant but he passed them by without so much as a backward glance.
W hen he finally stopped it was at one of those take-out places that was basically just a grill counter open to the sidewalk. Three metal tables with chairs sat out front but were occupied. And the line was long, stretching around and past the side of the counter.
“ Y ou like polish sausage ?”
“ H ere ?” I asked a little incredulously. It wasn’t like I went out on a lot of dates, but even to me this seemed a little casual.
“ D on’t judge a book by its cover,” he said, obviously enjoying my surprise. “This place has the best Chicago-style hot dogs in the city, and that’s saying something.”
W e waited in line until the attendant handed Zach two foil-wrapped packages. By that point, one of the tables had cleared and we quickly claimed it.
H e handed me one of the hot dogs. I carefully unwrapped it as the tantalizing aroma of savory sausage, spicy mustard and sweet relish rose up to meet my nostrils.
I took a bite and my eyes closed in bliss.
“ T his is really good ,” I said through a full bite.
Z ach paused with his hot dog halfway to his mouth and grinned at me. “You look really cute when you talk with your mouth full.”
“ S hut up .” I took another bite and swallowed it before speaking again. “I like this. But I have to say,
“ I could have guessed ,” I said with a small smile. Something about the way he carried himself said that he was used to being in front of a crowd. “What instrument do you play?”
“ B ass guitar .”
“ A w ,” I said, feigning disappointment. “You’re not the sexy frontman? That’s too bad.”
H e dramatically clutched at his chest. “You’re breaking my heart, lady.”
“ S omething tells me your heart can take it.” I laughed
“ T hat depends , “ he said, voice sly. “Is dozen roses guy still in the picture?”
I shifted in the seat , suddenly uncomfortable. “What makes you think the roses were from a guy? Maybe my grandmother sent them.”
“ N ice try . Nobodies grandma sends flowers like that.”
I thought about leaving him hanging, but I wasn’t the type of girl to tease. Julian was firmly in my past and I was determined for him to stay there. “There’s no guy, roses notwithstanding.”
“ M usic to my ears ,” he said with a grin.
“ S o you cater , deliver flowers and you’re in a band,” I said, wanting to change the subject. “Anything else I need to know?”
“ I work a lot of random jobs, but the band has really got most of my focus right now.”
“ H oping to make it big ?”
H e shook his head , looking a little embarrassed. “It sounds stupid when you say it like that.”
“ N o , it’s good to have a dream. You can’t have what you imagine having.”
Z ach reached up and gently tugged on one of my curls. “You’re a pretty cool girl.”
“ Y ou’re not so bad yourself.”
I felt more relaxed than I had in a long time. Being with Zach was easy. I didn’t have to constantly wonder what he was going to do or what he wanted from me.
T oo easy , said a treacherous little voice inside of me.
“ W here are we headed ?” I asked, to distract myself from the dangerous thoughts.
“ I t’s a surprise ,” he said, waggling his eyebrows in a way that made me laugh. “But I think you’ll like it.”
Z ach stood when the train pulled into the next station and he guided me up with him. The doors whooshed closed behind me just as I stepped onto the platform.
W e exited the station and ended up on a busy street.
“ T his way .” He grabbed my hand and led me down the sidewalk. We naturally fell into step together as we walked.
W e walked by a cute Asian bistro and an Italian restaurant but he passed them by without so much as a backward glance.
W hen he finally stopped it was at one of those take-out places that was basically just a grill counter open to the sidewalk. Three metal tables with chairs sat out front but were occupied. And the line was long, stretching around and past the side of the counter.
“ Y ou like polish sausage ?”
“ H ere ?” I asked a little incredulously. It wasn’t like I went out on a lot of dates, but even to me this seemed a little casual.
“ D on’t judge a book by its cover,” he said, obviously enjoying my surprise. “This place has the best Chicago-style hot dogs in the city, and that’s saying something.”
W e waited in line until the attendant handed Zach two foil-wrapped packages. By that point, one of the tables had cleared and we quickly claimed it.
H e handed me one of the hot dogs. I carefully unwrapped it as the tantalizing aroma of savory sausage, spicy mustard and sweet relish rose up to meet my nostrils.
I took a bite and my eyes closed in bliss.
“ T his is really good ,” I said through a full bite.
Z ach paused with his hot dog halfway to his mouth and grinned at me. “You look really cute when you talk with your mouth full.”
“ S hut up .” I took another bite and swallowed it before speaking again. “I like this. But I have to say,
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