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?