Heart in his mouth, Stryker watched as the two little girls, tiny, blonde things that were fast as whippets, crooned over his stunning girl.

Parker enthralled them, their baby blues so wide with wonder as their tiny little hands petted her coat. They gurgled that scary language of little girls, the one where pink, glittery and makeover were the top three words in their vocabulary, and for a moment, Stryker wondered if he would have to bust a rescue mission for his horse.

Except one look at the mare's face, he knew that for however much the frills and ribbon talk went straight over his head, his girl was soaking...