The Beauty and the Beast (1st book of Fantasy Series)

Chapter 41- Belle's POV

"Would you like to go out on a date with me?"

His words echoed in my brain while I looked at him with wide eyes and an opened mouth, shocked and surprised.

"Would you like to go out on a date with me?"

"Belle?" Reif asked with furrowed brows while he cocked his head and studied me. Worry filled his eyes while he looked at me. "Are you ok?" he asked. "What is it?"

I closed my mouth and slowly nodded while I looked at him. "Yes," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet while I waved my hand in front of my face to control my blush. "I am ok."

He blinked before he slowly nodded and cleared his throat. "You haven't answered my question," he said. "Would you like to go on a date with me?"

"Yes," I said and nodded. "Yes, I would like to go on a date with you."

Reif's eyes grew wide and hope filled them while he stared at me. His whole body seemed to grow tense, even though I had a feeling that he wanted to relax. "You will?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "You will go on a date with me?"

I bit back a small laugh while I nodded. "Yes," I said. "Yes, I will go on a date with you. I will be happy to go on a date with you."

Reif's shoulders sagged with relief, and he bit back that sigh of relief. "Good," he said, and he cleared his throat while he stood taller. "When would you like to go on a date?" he asked while he cocked his head and studied me.

I shrugged and grimaced, my cheeks turning a deeper reddish color. "I don't know," I said. "I don't mind doing it tonight or tomorrow night. Or, if you would like to do it during the day, then we can do it then."

"But not now?" he asked and raised an eyebrow in question, amusement filling his eyes, and I had a feeling that he wouldn't mind if we didn't do it now.

I laughed and shook my head. "Unfortunately not," I said. "I have a date right now with my horse." I moved a hand across my horse's neck, and he nudged my shoulder hard while he whickered.

Reif slowly nodded and bit back a small smile. "Of course," he said. He cleared his throat and grew serious while he raised an eyebrow in question. "Do you want to take your saddle off before you start jumping again?" he asked.

"NO!" my cousin exclaimed, and his eyes grew wide while he shook his head. "Don't do that. Please, Your Majesty, don't tell her that she can do that."

"And why not?" I asked while I looked at him with a raised eyebrow in question. "I am able to do this. I told you that I can."

"Have you done this before?" Reif asked while he raised an eyebrow in question.

"Y-"

I waved my cousin off, interrupting him and nodded. "Yes," I said before I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet. "I have done this before. I have done it a couple of times before this, and I will be fine."

Reif slowly nodded and looked at my cousin. "Then let her do it," he said.

"Bu-"

"Let her," Reif said, interrupting him while he raised his hand to silence my cousin. "Ok? If she is about to get hurt, then we will be able to help her before she does."

I shook my head, biting back a laugh. "No," I said. "Don't. I don't want you all to get hurt by accident because Riser will do something stupid if he is spooked."

Reif chuckled and cocked his head while he studied me. "We are faster than him," he said. "There is no need for you to worry about us, Belle."

I pressed my lips into a thin line and narrowed my eyes slightly. I knew what he said was true; they were faster, and were faster than Riser, but that did not mean I was willing to take a chance. "Please," I said. "If Riser hurts you..." I trailed off and shrugged, grimacing.

"If Riser hurts us, then we will be fine," he said. "We heal faster than humans." He paused and cleared his throat while he shifted on his feet, flattening his ears behind his head and looking guilty. "Also, how is your arm?" he asked.

Subconsciously, I touched my arm and held back a flinch because it still hurt if I touched it, but other than that, it was fine.

"Well?" Reif asked while he furrowed his brows and cocked his head while he studied me. He saw that I had flinched, and I could tell that he was worried. "What is it? Are you ok?"

I nodded in confirmation. "I am," I said, my cheeks turning slightly red. "Sorry, I didn't mean to do that."

Reif looked at Peter before he looked at me again. He didn't say a word, and I could tell that he didn't believe me and wanted to see if Peter would either confirm or deny what I said.

"Does it only hurt when you touch it?" Peter asked and raised an eyebrow in question, and I nodded in confirmation.

"It does," I confirm. "However, it doesn't hurt when I move my shoulder up and down or do anything else with it."

Reif sighed with relief and nodded while his shoulders sagged. "Ok," he said before he cleared his throat and shifted on his feet. "Now, go ahead and take your saddle off of your horse so that you can ride Riser." He paused and cleared his throat while he shifted on his feet again. "Would tomorrow evening work for our date?" he asked, sounding bashful. "Or when would you like to do it?"

"Tomorrow night will be fine," I said and nodded while my smile grew wider before I grew serious. "What are we going to be doing tomorrow?" I asked while I raised an eyebrow in question.

Reif smiled and shook his head. "It's a surprise," he said. "All you have to do is trust me."

I sighed and slowly nodded, my shoulders sagging slightly with defeat. "I do," I said, my cheeks turning slightly red. "Even after everything that has happened between us, I still trust you."