His Love, Sora

Chapter 7: In Which He Reads

It was midnight and Sora was currently perched on the couch, her leg bouncing up and down repeatedly in nervousness.

Ashton had went to sleep after getting her settled into the very nice and comfortable guest bedroom, he even gave her one of his shirts to sleep in which she had slipped into and was sitting in right now, it smelled like men's aftershave and was very cozy.

However, sleep didn't come to her in any case as she had tossed and turned and jumped at every thunder strike.

Stormy days like this never went easy for her. At home, she'd sleep huddled up with her grandmother who would distract her mind by telling her stories so her mind was off of the events of the night due to which these thunderstorms made her extremely anxious.

So she came out of the room, drank some water and just decided to sit on the couch and watch some tv at a low volume to let this night pass.

Ashton who had gotten up from his sleep from a parched throat himself made his way to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

He was half asleep and almost missed Sora who was sitting on the couch all anxious until she actually spoke up.

"I am sorry did I wake you up?" she asked looking up at him.

He looked at her more awake.

The first thing he noticed was his shirt on her and her bare legs. He had to admit that she looked nothing less than exquisite and his own feelings seeing her in his clothes had him confused and a little flustered.

"No umm... just wanted some water" he said, looking elsewhere so he didn't have to look at her creamy thighs that he had a strong urge to run his hands over.

He was surprised at his own carnal thoughts.

She was doing things to him and it was making him uncomfortable. The good kind of uncomfortable.

"Why are you up?" He asked while pouring himself some water from the jug on the kitchen counter.

"Thunderstorms don't really agree with me and even though the bedroom is more than comfortable, it's just unfamiliar so I can't seem to be able to sleep" she answered while playing with her fingers.

That as understandable, Ashton had trouble sleeping in new places as well.

"Right... what usually helps you sleep during a thunderstorm?" He asked.

It just didn't feel right to him to leave her alone alone like that.

"Umm... well usually my grandmother tells me all sorts of stories from her teenage years about her and garndpa so it distracts me enough to fall asleep" she admitted, a little embarrassed that she still had her grandmother tell her stories before sleep.

Ashton thought about it for a while before he spoke again.

"How about I read you something? I don't really have many books but there are a few classics on the shelf right there, if you want you can pick something out" he suggested pointing to the wall shelf beside the flat screen.

"Really? You'd do that for me?" She asked, she couldn't help but smile at his suggestion, it was sweet.

Ashton cleared his throat, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly, this was so unlike him.

"You did make me dinner, it's just reading" he replied looking anywhere but at her.

"It sounds nice, I'll see what you got there" she said getting off the couch and towards the shelf.

Her fingers delicately traced the spines of the books till she stopped at a maroon one with gold letters reading 'Catcher in the rye' and she pulled it out.

It was one of her favourites, she could never get tired of it.

She took it over to Ashton and handed it to him.

"Catcher in the rye. Good choice" he said moving towards the couch and taking a seat in it and she followed suit, sitting beside him and shutting off the tv as she got comfortable on the couch.

Ashton also leaned back before opening to page one and starting.

"If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you probably want to know is..."

Ashton found himself getting engrossed into the book as well while she listened carefully, his voice sounded soothing and instead of words it felt like a lullaby to Sora as she found her eyes closing before chapter two even began.

Ashton only stopped reading when he felt a weight on his right shoulder as he saw that she was fast asleep with her mouth slightly agape and whistle like snores passing through her lips as her head rested again this shoulder. She was undoubtedly an adorable little thing.

Ashton found himself gazing at her longer than he should have.

He thought about the events that had previously transpired leading to their meeting.

He thought about what he was still doing with this girl, he should let her go, let her live her life in peace but the more he looked at her, the more he observed her cute antics, he found himself wanting to be in her life.

He didn't find her annoying for one which was new, she didn't pry into his life, she wasn't clingy, she was easy to talk to and he felt the need to keep her from harms way even though he was the harms way and she didn't want anything from him.

She was new to him, the whole concept of her was new to him.

Ashton was a conservative person never feeling the need to have anyone in his life but he didn't mind her and it felt nice having her around.

So he decided to give it a go, he decided to keep seeing her and see where this goes.

He decided to get her back to the bedroom since it was too cold to be sleeping on the couch in the lounge.

He lifted her up with great ease which yet again reminded him of how harmless she was and how she stumbled into his harmful world and just the thought that if it wasn't him that day cleaning up and someone else, they would have reported her and she would probably be in one of those body bags at the bottom of the ocean had cradling her closer with fists clenched as he carried her to her bed.

One thing he knew, he would protect her, no matter what it takes, she didn't deserve a bloody fate.