Free Luca's Dilemma by Deneice Tarbox Page B

her with me at the stables until you’re ready to take over? Then I’ll take her home.”
    “The stables!” Sheila exclaimed, the shrill of her voice causing those milling about to stop and stare.
    “Don’t worry. It’ll only be for a couple of hours, and I’ll make sure to keep you away from the horses. That is, unless you want to cozy up to Chino. I bet he'd like that.” That sly crooked smile that Sheila had grown oh so familiar with was on his handsome face. He lifted his thick dark eyebrows up and down in a suggestive manner, the action bringing forth a chuckle from her.
    Sheila sat silent, weighing her options and quickly concluding that she really didn't have any. “Well… sure, I guess I’ll just hang out with horse–boy here for a while.”
    “Well, that settles it,” Tina said. “I’ll check in on you later, make sure you’re still doing okay, and that this isn’t Luca’s way of avenging the many tongue–lashings that you’ve so nicely gifted him over the last few months.”
    They all laughed.
    “And, Sheila,” Tina continued after sobering, “we're sorry. I should have thought this through a little better.”
    Sheila shrugged, still smiling. “It's all good.”
    ***
    Tina and Richard left to continue their perusal of the animal barns, while Sheila and Luca made their way toward a long row of RVs.
    “Why are we going over there?” Sheila inquired, nodding toward the silver and white shelters as they approached them.
    “To get you something more appropriate to wear. No one appreciates your good looks more than I, but this isn’t exactly the place for you to show them off. We need to change your attire.”
    “Oh really, this isn’t appropriate?” she said jokingly, hoping that her teasing masked the overwhelming gaiety that swept over her from his compliment.
    “Ayuh.”
    “Stop that!” she scolded, evoking a chuckle from him.
    They stepped up into a small, silver motor home where Luca quickly retrieved a pair of well–worn overalls, a blue fleece jacket, and a pair of rubber boots for her to put on. After making sure Sheila was warm enough inside the small shelter, Luca went outside, granting her privacy so that she could change. With her task completed, she opened the door and stepped from the shelter, snickering at the too–big items on her person.
    “This is kinda cool. Rarely do I come across a man with clothes and feet much bigger than mine.” She stood in front of him, kicking her feet up and waving the excess material hanging over her hands back and forth like flaccid wings.
    “I’d say that sucks for you,” Luca replied with a lascivious look on his face.
    “Are you talking dirty to me, horse–boy?” she asked, catching the innuendo and, for once, deciding to flirt back.
    “If you keep calling me ‘horse–boy’, I’m gonna start to assume you wanna ride me.” His blue eyes sparkled with mischief. What started as a smirk broadened, causing that solo dimple in his left cheek to show.
    “Sorry, bud. Where I come from, a man has to earn such a privilege with a girl like me.” She purposely increased the intensity of her southern accent, thus fortifying the suggestiveness of her statement. “But who's to say I don't enjoy a good ride every now and then?” Lowering her eyes, Sheila slowly scanned him from his well–worn work boots to his gorgeous blue eyes. The intense reddening of his tan cheeks was a good indication she had succeeded in hitting her mark.
    Luca's Adam's apple bobbed wildly before he began to speak. “Perhaps we should get going,” he said, his voice suddenly husky. “We don’t want to keep my four–legged friends waiting.” When he wouldn't look at her, Sheila knew she had won this round.
    They walked toward the stables with Sheila carefully steering the conversation in a safe direction. She kind of felt guilty for embarrassing him. After all, he had come to her rescue and was even willing to babysit her for the rest of the day. Yes, he