[He wanted to say something, but nothing happened. He couldn't really find anything appropriate to reply with, and the longer he waited the more it felt like he had missed his chance to really make an impression. Instead, he just nodded, so she at least knew he had heard her.]
[Ashton was exhausted, and the longer they stood out there, the greater the temptation was to find a nice patch of grass to curl up on.] Okay... [He was quiet and careful with the word. He felt awful that he couldn't just come right out and say what he had in mind, and for that, he would follow her wherever. It was the least he could do.]