Belle kept stroking.
“Yes,” she replied quietly, her eyes never leaving the animal.
She gave the horse one last rub then moved around James, not looking at him, to the next horse, giving him a nuzzle. Then she went to the next then the next.
At the last stall, she saw a huge grey, his smoky mane sleek and long, his body bigger, muscles more defined and powerful than any of the other horses.
He was pure equine beauty.
James was again at her side as she stroked the horse’s nose.
“He’s my favourite,” she whispered and as if the horse understood her words, he moved his nose to her neck and blew, causing Belle to let out a short, startled giggle.
“He’s mine,” James said and Belle moved her head away from the horse, her hands still on his powerful jaws and looked up at James.
“I’m thinking you have good taste,” she told him.
His eyes locked on hers and they went strange like they were amused and something else. Something she couldn’t read. Something that made her belly feel warm again.
“I definitely have good taste,” he replied without a shred of humility.
Belle didn’t know what to say to that so she didn’t say anything.
With one last pat, she stepped away from his horse and said, “You were right. Miles didn’t show me the stables but I’m glad you did. Thank you.”
She started to move by him in the direction of the door but he caught her by the elbow, that strange heat coming from his touch again, searing into her skin.
She tipped her head back to look up at him and saw his chin was dipped to look down at her, his intense green eyes staring into hers.
Instantly, her breathing became laboured.
“You haven’t seen all I wanted to show you,” he said.
“I haven’t?” she asked.
He shook his head and moved her around, drawing her to a room at the end the stables. Baron came with them and he was dancing around James’s long legs as they made it to the door.
James opened the door and Baron pushed through them to get inside. James leaned in, switched on a light and then pressed Belle inside.
On the floor ensconced on a huge dog bed with warm rugs all around was another German Shepherd. Her head came up but her body didn’t, likely because there were several little German Shepherd puppies nestled and asleep at her belly.
Without thinking, Belle clapped her hands in front of her and shouted, “Puppies!” and immediately she moved toward the dogs.
Baron gave her an excited bark, obviously feeling pleased with himself as father of this brood and Belle gave his head a rub before she dropped to her knees on the rug.
“Who’s the proud papa?” she asked and Baron gave her another happy bark and licked her hand.
Belle turned her attention to the mama Shepherd.
“And who are you?” she asked as she let the female dog smell her hand before Belle stroked her.
“Her name is Gretl,” James replied and Belle looked up and gave him a smile.
“They’re beautiful,” she told him, turning her attention back to the doggie family and she saw some of the puppies waking, blinking and fumbling toward her.
She caught the closest one and picked her up, cuddling the puppy to her face. The puppy sniffed, squirmed and finally licked Belle’s face and Belle nuzzled the writhing little one to her neck, that unmistakable puppy scent enveloping her senses.
“I just love the smell of puppy,” she murmured into soft fur, gave her another squeeze then set her down and grabbed the next one to approach.