Yes, you can absolutely love a thing, though it’s not quite the same thing as loving a person or a pet. When I think over the things I love, most of them have a human element to them—great paintings, the perfect Stickley or Mosher chair, a beautiful letterpress book, the perfect dress.
When push comes to shove, I’d rather love a person or a pet than an inanimate object, but there are some “things” that REALLY make me happy.