Hot Redhead Temptess

The solid oak door creaked open to reveal the tallest man Linda Anderson had ever seen, standing in the doorway looking forbidding and larger than life.

"Hi." She muttered awkwardly as the dark giant turned to look at her. Then her mother was taking up his attention, chattering one mile per minute. Babbling about last minute plans and unavoidable emergencies.

Linda hated being left in strange places while her mother went off on adventures with various men. Although she supposed she should have been used to it by now.

Growing up, her mother had barely kept an eye on her. Linda had been forced to raise herself more often than not. Her mother didn't even leave money for groceries for Linda because she was afraid to look neglectful if Linda was seen getting groceries by herself and that always bridled Linda. As a result of this, Linda was always dragged off to other people's homes on a regular basis and there was nothing she could say that could change the situation. And now her mother was leaving her with her foaster brother.

Linda gazed at the man, crisp wavy black hair shadowed piercing blue eyes and the tall man's tanned face was set in a deep frown and his lips pursued, while her mother explained she needed him to watch her daughter for a week.

"Christ. Catherine, I haven't seen you in years and all of a sudden you show up and what? You want me to babysit?" The The man's deep voice was filled with disapproval and condemnation. It didn't seem to bother her mother, but it sliced through Linda like knife through a butter.

"It's only for a week, Nico. I'm so sorry I can't stay to catch-up with you." Her mother's words trailer off as she was already leaving the deck, walking towards the latest model range rover where Jimmy the man who was taking her mother to paris for a 'short - vacation' as she called it was waiting.

Linda ran to meet her mother. "Mom, please can't you take me with you just once?" She whispered, looking pleadingly at her mother, putting her heart into her eyes.

"Nonsense, sweetheart. Whatever would you do while jimmy and I go sight seeing? I could hardly keep my eye on you all the time."

Linda sighed, looking at the floor trying to keep her tears at bay. She shouldn't cry, else she made her mother mad or worse the man, Nico, decide not to take her in, thinking she was such a crybaby.

Her mother brushed her cherry red hair out of her palm sized round face and smiled brightly as she muttered. "It's a beautiful place which I'm sure you are going to love. Nico is also a nice man, he will take good care of you. Moreover, I will be back sooner than you know it. Okay?"

Linda could only nod at her mother.

She had been left with other friends and distant relatives often enough to know that a short vacation usually lasted longer than a week. But obviously, the tall man with the dark blue eyes didn't know that. The fact that he was the last remaining relative who had no idea was probably the deciding factor in dropping her off with him in the first place.

"Catherine, I am a single guy. What do I know about watching a kid!" His inveighing only bounced off her retreating back.

"Linda is older than she looks. She knows how to take care of herself. I am very grateful about this Nico. I'll see you in a week." She said and climbed into the flashy blue range rover and waved goodbye, leaving Linda standing on the wide front verendah with her worn suitcase clutched to her chest. The man her mother had called Nico looked at her clearly confounded and finally shrugged, "Well, kid, come in, I guess." He stood back from the doorway to let her in.

She walked in, taking a look around the house. It was a duplex apartment.

"Huuuhh ..... Let me take you around the house." Nico singsonged. "Then we go to the ranch later."

Linda almost laughed at the fact that he was singsonging to her. How old did he think she was? Twelve? At least he was making an effort. So she nodded. "Great come on." He led her into the living room. There was a brown two seater sofa infront of a fifty - two inch plasma screen television. There was another two seater sofa on the left side of the sofa. and two single arm chairs which was beside each other, was on the right. In the center of the living room was a center table which was placed on a rug, so soft her feet curled. Beneath the biggest TV Linda had ever seen was a table console which housed a painting an two gold trophies. On the floor to ceiling windows were white curtains, which wasn't opened, yet rays of sunlight illuminated the room through them. It felt so warm and cozy in there and homey. More homey than the two bedrooms apartment she'd lived in with her mother. Opposite the living room was a large dinning room. The table seem to be able to accommodate up to a dozen people. Nico opened the door at the end of the dinning room that led to a dimly lit hallway. Along the corridor was another door that led to a stair that lead to the basement. He opened the door to a room which was empty save for a twin bed an d an empty closet. "You can have this room for the main time. We can go shopping for some beddings and clothes for you." Nico muttered enthusiastically.

Linda nodded half heartedly. She was happy to go shopping, right now though she was very hungry and wasn afraid to ask lest he sent her packing for being cheeky. How she wished atleast for a slice of pizza. As she thought about food, her stomach let out an angry growl. She hugged her stomach awkwardly.

Nico only chuckled deeply. "You should have said something instead of letting me drag you around on an empty stomach." He collected her bag, pushing it into the empty closet and led her back upstairs to the kitchen.

"Hmmm ..... let's see what we have here." He opened the refrigerator which was filled with bottles of water. Like literally there was nothing in there but water. He must be so used to eating out. He opened the cupboard, in there was a crate of eggs. He turned to face her, "I might not be good at anything else but I can make a mean omelette."

Linda's mouth twitched slightly. As if there was any other option than egg. She nodded and he set about breaking the eggs in a bowl.

"I can make that too, you know?" She mused. "A mean omelette I mean."

Nico threw his head up with a mix of surprise and awe. Surprised, since this was the first word she was saying to him since she walked in. Awed because she could cook.

"Really?"

She nodded feeling pleased with herself. He laughed , patting her head. The small gesture making her elated. She didn't know why but she could feel this week going well with Nico. What could probably go wrong?

Linda sat in the narrow twin bed that night, staring into the warm darkness of her borrowed bedroom wondering what was going to happen to her.

She had spent the first week trying to make herself scarce. She didn't want to put out on anyone, she had acted invisible thinking she would be gone sooner than they could notice her presence. But to her disappointment, her mother didn't show up the first week as she had promised. But then, she should have known better. Then the next week, she had tried as better as she could to make herself useful, since she had outstayed her welcome . She didn't wish to be an otiose person. It hadn't been easy to be useful on a horse ranch when she knew absolutely nothing about horses to begin with. Also, she had been frankly afraid of the huge animals. But she had tried. She had to because she had experienced that the best way to keep from wearing out your welcome at a strange house was to be helpful and unobstructive.

She remembered the time she had spent with a distant relatice of her mother. That was the first time she had been sent to live with a relative, the beginning of her mothers' short vacation. Her mother had said she was just going do a week. But to her shock, her mother didn't come the first week. Linda had been naive and had thought staying out of their hair was the way to keep from wearing out her welcome, she had been wrong. When her mother finally came for her two weeks later, they had told her mother not to bring her over again to their house. They had called her lazy, claiming the only thing she had done in the house was eat their food, which wasn't true. Her mother had scolded her. The next time her mother had dropped ger off to another relative, she had learnt her lesson and had never been 'lazy'.

Nico had tolerated her helping out. Infact, he had been nothing but a good host to her. He had even started to teach her about horses. But even with all this, Linda wasnt so comfortable. She felt like she was dispensable at anytime, and that Nico was doing nothing than tolerating her presence.

Now it was the end of the first month yet she hadn't heard anything from her mother and she was beginning to get really worried. She had tried to place a collect call to the number her mother had left, no one had answered. She had been afraid to try and tracker down any other way. Phoning Paris wasn't exactly cheap.

Only this morning did one of the ranch hands yelled at her for getting in the way around the stable. She sighed heavily, school was supposed to be starting soon. Would her mother come back in time for her to be enrolled somewhere?

An even more frightening question popped in her head .... Would her mother come back for her at all? Linda hadn't allow herself to think such horrible thoughts. She had been optimistic, but now they all came flooding in like a pack of moth attracted to light. What if her mother had been attacked by terrorist? She read somewhere Terrorism risk was high in the country. What if she had been kidnapped or worse killed in such an attack? What if she never heard from her again? What if Nicolas Black decided not qs tired of having her around and sent her off to a foster home? What was going to happen to her?

The horrible 'What ifs' she had ben burying for weeks suddenly overwhelmed her and she bursted into tears. She wrapped her arms around her knees, crouching in the narrow bed, trying to sob quietly so she wouldn't bother Nico as his room was directly above hers. But despite her effort to keep her sorrow silent, he still heard her. Light from the hallway spilled into the room ad someone opened the door. She looked up to see the tall figure standing in her doorway, looking rumpled and sleepy. Nico was wearing pajama bottom with no top, his broad chest covered with a crisp of black hair was revealed in the dim light of the hallway.

"Hey, kiddo." His deep voice was soft and unexpectedly gentle. "What's going on? Are you all right?"

Linda shook her head and wiped her eyes with quick jerky motions, "I .... I'm fine ... I'm sorry ... I didn't mean to wake you." She huddled in on herself trying to be small and unobstructive, trying to disappear in the darkness so he would go back to bed and leave her to cry in peace. But that wasn't how Nicolas Black was . When he saw a problem that needed fixing, he fixed it and right then Linda must have looked exactly as she felt, completely broken. He walked into the room and sat on the side of her bed, wrapping his hand around her, one large palm caressed her back through the night shirt she wore. "Hey, Linda," His voice rumbled softly in her ear "Why don't you tell me what's wrong, huh?" This was the first time he was calling her anything but 'kiddo'. Maybe it was the way he said her name, or the way his voice sounded, so soft and gentle, or the way he touched her, his hand so warm and firm and soothing on her back. But for whatever reason, Linda found herself melting and soon she was sobbing in his arms. She poured out all of her horrible thoughts and questions. Nico held her close and let her cry, running his fingers through her hair and rubbed her back while the sobs shook her, murmuring soothing nonsenses words. He gentled her as he would have one of his horses. She snuffled.

"All right now?"

Linda pressed her wet face to the broad, scratchy chest and breathed in deeply inhaling the aroma of horses and leather and clean masculine sweat that was at once and entirely Nico. "I don't know. Mom's lest me for a long time before, but she's never gone this long without atleast calling. Do you think something happened to her?"

''I don't know." Nico's voice was soft in the darkness of the room, his hand still stroking her back. "But I do know that you are welcome in my house for as long as you want to be here, Linda."

Linda's eyes bulged in disbelief. "Really!"

"Yeah. We'll try to track down your mom but even if we don't find her right away, you are gonna be okay right here with me. All right?"

Linda nodded hesitantly, still a little uncertain despite his warm words.

"That's my little Linda." He uttered approvingly, squeezing her tightly as though to emphasize his point.

"And ... And you really don't mind my staying here? You promise?" She asked, letting her heart fill her eyes.

Nico looked at her solemnly and took her small hand, he placed it on his broad bare chest. "I will do better than promise, Linda, I swear it. Heart swear, baby, the most sacred vow I know. I want you here with me and that's the truth." She could feel the steady thump of his heart beneath the warm, scratchy skin, beating in a reassuring rhythm that seemed to echo his words.

Linda copied his motions, taking his large hand and placed it against her own flat, bony chest. "Heart swear." She repeated, feeling at ease for the first time in weeks. "Thank you .... Nico." It was the first time she was calling him anything other than 'sir' , good manners being essential for getting along in a strange house.

"Nico, huh? I think i like the sound of that." He grinned and ruffled her hair before giving her a warm kiss on the forehead.

By the time he tucked her back into the narrow little bed and pulled the covers up to her chin, she was completely his .... Mind, body and soul, and we'll on her way to falling helplessly, hopelessly in love. It was a love she knew Nico might never return . . . .

FIVE YEARS LATER

"Linda, you and I both know exactly why you're here, don't we?" Nico asked as he got off the chair in his makeshift office and walked towards Linda

she nodded, she couldn't speak

Frowning, Nico took a step closer."That's right" . His eyes softened a little as he took in her obvious fright ."I want you to know that I don't want to do this , baby , but I have to." His voice very soft ." But I don't want you running around acting the way you have been acting lately. someone might get hurt or killed next time and I sure as hell don't want it to be you. Do you understand?"

Linda nodded again, she still hadn't found her voice .Her voice hitching when his large capable hands dropped to the meancing brown leather belt and began to unbuckle it. Her thought drifting back to earlier that morning when she had defied him again by going near the stall he had specifically told her not to. "What were you thinking, Linda? that horse is dangerous and you damn well know it." Nico had asked her, his frown so deep, she had done nothing but stare nervously before him bitting her lips.

"what the hell were you thinking" he had demanded again. "I....I don't know" she had look up her eyes bright still nibbling her full bottom lip, she shrugged. "He didn't look dangerous to me."

But she did know.She had just wanted to get his attention.

Almost from the moment she'd first stepped foot inside the beautiful old ranch house in the foothills of montana five years ago, Linda had been attracted to him. She had fallen in love with the beauty of kansas, with the will and graceful glory of the horses in the twinkle ranch, but most of all she had fallen helplessly in love with the man that ran the ranch- NIcholas Black. It was easy to trace that love to well....to remember where it all started. She had been nearly fifteen an awkward scary age when hormones raged in her body,when her mother had abandoned her...

"Alright,then." Nico said jolting her out of her thought his voice hard, his eyes losing there softness, making her shiver. "It's time you learned your lessons, Linda, and what better ways to teach you than the way I was taught-with a belt." He nodded to the king sized bed she had slept in with him on so many rainy nights .

"Pull down yours shorts and bend over the bed." The tone of his voice so cold she froze to the ground.

So he was going to whip her ass? with his belt? on his bed? she couldn't believe it .

Part of her wanted to back her away and run down the hall.

"You have wanted his attention for so long and now that you have it, you want to run? Run you coward!" Her inner voice mocked. But she pushed it down.

Another part of her wanted to plead. But as Nico walked towards her looping the brown belt around his beautiful calloused hand, another more confident voice told her "You have to be strong, You have to show him you are not afraid." She resolved to be brave and take her punishment as a strong, unafraid woman that she was, not like an immature little girl Nico viewed her as.

She started to take off her shorts. The thought of being bare and vulnerable before him, the thought of him whipping her was strangely arousing. She shivered as she felt the heat between her leg grow .

Straightening her spine after removing her shorts, she looked him right in the eye, feeling more brave. "you can hit me, Nico, you can hit me as hard as you want. Do your worst." She said her voice unwavering.

Immediately taking of her panties as well and dropped them on the floor. Marching to the bed, she bent over it, spread her legs slightly bared her ass for his belt, her sweaty palms full of the red quilt.

she felt the cool air of the room touch her tender nether lips and the tiny strip of red hair that decorated her sex. She heard a low gasp from Nico or had she

imagined it. knowing his eye were on naked pussy open before him for the first time made her wet with need, her body shivering with desire despite the situation.

Pertinaciously, she open her legs a little more wanting to show him her glistening pussy. let him see that she didn't fear his whipping, let him see that she was a woman and not a scared little girl to run at the first time of pain.