Abe admired the cottage from a distance and thought it fit Beauty's character very well. This would be where Belle would live, he decided. It was quaint and Abe was delighted to spend more time with the woman. He kept his emotions in check, though. There was no need to get too attached.
Before Nuala he would not have even considered to think of Beauty as anything more than a good friend. But the emotions he opened in his heart made him more vulnerable. So he was careful to redirect every touch she gave him as a sign of a potential friend and nothing more. He also worked hard to ignore any emotions she was giving off, pushing them to the background of his attention.
That being said, he did feel quite warm with her hand in the crook of his arm. It felt nostalgic all the more. He was beginning to be alright with that feeling.
"Then...I'm glad I could be of service," he'd replied before they left.
When they entered the house Abe folded his hands inward as he explored his surroundings. He immediately felt ill-fitting in the environment, his black neoprene shorts, tool belt, and short sleeved neoprene shirt just not seeming to fit with the cottage scenery. Not that Beauty seemed to mind as she bustled about. And Abe distracted himself with looking around the tidy common area at knick-knacks and books.