His Girl Friday (9 page)

Between her headache and what had happened earlier, Danet a was more than ready to leave at five. Cabe watched her get her things together with a brooding stare, leaning against the doorway of his office with his hands in his pockets.

"Wil you be al right?" he asked.

She smiled at his concern. "Yes, thank you. I'l know not to drink wine like water the next time." His face tautened. "Is there going to be a next time? Ben's a nice boy, but he's too slick for an innocent like you." She gasped. "Look who's talking!" she blurted out.

He stared her down. "I won't take advantage. He would. That's the difference."

She wondered what he considered taking advantage, but she was too embarras ed and flustered to ask. She got into her coat and held her purse against her breast like a shield.

"Wel . . good night."

He sighed heavily. "Good night, honey. I won't fuss if you're late in the morning."

Surely she hadn't heard that endearment. She glanced back at him, puzzled and touched by his changed at itude even as she tried not to let herself read too much into it.

"Good night, Mr.—" his glare cut her off "—I mean.. Cabe."

The way she said his name disturbed him. He searched her soft eyes for a long moment and electricity seemed to crackle between them.

"Oh, there you are, Danet a," Ben Meadows cal ed from the open door. "Come on, I'l walk you down to the bus stop!"

"Thanks, Ben. Good night," she said again, turning away from the black glare she was get ing from Cabe as she went out the door with Ben. Cabe stared after them with mixed emotions. She was vulnerable and Ben was a ladies' man. For two cents, he'd follow along, just to make sure Ben didn't make a heavy pas while she was too dizzy to say no. But he didn't have the right, he reminded himself. And if he interfered, Danet a might wonder why; she might realize that he was vulnerable, too.

He turned back into his office and slammed the door— hard. Wel , he had plenty of work to do. There was no need for him to rush home, if his spartan apartment could be cal ed that. He sat down at his desk and opened the drawer, pulling out the latest sales figures.

Danet a rode the bus to her apartment building in a daze. It had been that kind of day. Her head was full of dreams as she went up in the elevator and walked toward her apartment when she reached her floor. She inserted her key in the lock, humming softly to herself—and noticed that the door opened before the key was turned. Instantly alert, she pushed the door al the way open and caught her breath at what she saw. Every drawer had been emptied, her books had been dumped out of the bookcases, the sofa cushions were out of their covers. Al her pots and pans were dumped on the counter, al her mail opened and scat ered. She leaned against the wal for support. Her first thought was of Norman, and if whoever had done this to her apartment had hurt him.

"Norman!" she cal ed. She picked up the iron that she kept in her closet and, brandishing it like a weapon, left the door open and crept hesitantly into the living room, looking everywhere. More than likely her mes y visitor was long gone, but she couldn't afford to as ume that.

She opened the bedroom door, finding the same disarray in there that the combination living-dining-kitchen area had shown. But the bedroom was empty, like the closet and bathroom. With a heavy sigh, she closed the door and put the chain latch on. Then she went looking for Norman. At least his body wasn't lying upside down on the floor, she thought worriedly, but where was he?

"Norman!" she wailed.

A slight scratching sound caught her at ention and she sighed with relief as Norman appeared on top of the drapes in the living room, his green head peering over the curtain rod.

"Oh, thank goodnes !" she said huskily. "I'm glad they didn't get you, baby."

He was looking around with unusual at ention, and his body was faintly bowed, his whip of a tail half raised and threatening. She knew bet er than to try and handle him in that mood, so she talked soothingly to him and turned down the thermostat; she could lower his body temperature and pick him up easily, but it would take time. She immediately packed a bag with what she would need for the night. No way was she going to stay in the apartment after what had happened. She knew she should cal the police, but she was reluctant to: she had a terrible feeling that the break-in had something to do with Cousin Jenny, and the last thing she wanted was to put Jenny in danger. She might do that by involving the law enforcement people. And she knew from experience that Jenny had contacts of her own among the hush-hush government bureaus. She'd try to get in touch with Jenny and let her handle it.

When Norman was calmer, she got him down and put him in his cage, taking along his supper in a Baggie. The phone started to ring just as she left the apartment, but she didn't answer it. It might very wel be the burglar or burglars to see if she was at home.

With a tiny shudder, she relocked the door, for al the good that would do, and left the building.

She and Norman spent a long night at a nearby Holiday Inn, with Norman irritable in his confined space. He wasn't used to being shut up, but she couldn't risk let ing him out. He had a knack for wedging himself into tight places to keep from being moved somewhere else. She could remember having to have an appliance serviceman move the refrigerator to extricate Norman, who was coiled around the appliance's motor. The repairman, fortunately, was unique; he hadn't been afraid of giant lizards. The mechanic who'd had to get Norman out from under the front seat of her car, before she'd sold it and defected to public transportation, had broken out in a cold sweat while he worked and muttered something about retiring.

The next morning, she was hollow eyed and jumpy. She didn't like leaving Norman in her apartment alone, but maybe the unwelcome visitors wouldn't come back. She didn't know how she was going to face the weekend alone, watching the door al the time. Maybe she should buy a gun. . Sure, she thought as she locked Norman in the apartment and went to work. That was a great idea, considering that she was afraid of them and hated the noise. She'd probably shoot herself before she'd be able to shoot a burglar.

She hadn't put her hair up because she was too tired to care how it looked, and the dres she had on was of lavender cotton—and was wrinkled. She felt as bad as she looked, and God only knew what Mr. Rit er was going to say when he saw her.

In fact, he came out of his office looking almost as bad as she did. He, too, was rumpled and he needed a shave. He was in slacks and a short-sleeved white shirt, the shirt unbuttoned at the throat. It was one of the rare times Danet a had ever seen him that way, and she caught her breath at the sight of his muscular torso. His skin was olive and his arms were faintly hairy, like the chest she could glimpse under the thin fabric. He didn't wear an undershirt, and his body was as sensual as the eyes that went over her closefit ing, knee-length dres with its flat ering belt.

"Where the hel were you last night?" he asked immediately, his blue eyes flashing. His wavy dark hair was disheveled, and she realized why he was so rumpled.

"Didn't you go home at al ?" she countered, frozen beside her desk as she studied him.

"No, I didn't go home," he said shortly. "And apparently you had a long night, too, by the look of you."

"Yes, I did," she sighed wearily. "I hardly slept. ."

"Undoubtedly." His lips twisted into a cold smile. "How was it?"

She blinked. Were they talking about the same thing? "I don't understand."

"Like hel you don't," he returned icily. "They say sex isn't good for a virgin the first time. Was it disappointing?" Her eyes widened and she started to speak, aghast at the contempt and anger in his hard face.

Just as she opened her mouth, Ben came by the door, grinning from ear to ear. "Morning, glory," he said, blowing her a kis . "See you at lunch! Morning, bos ," he added to Cabe. "Don't be too hard on her, she had a rough time."

Ben waved and went down the hal while Cabe stood vibrating with rage, his face paling as he stared at Danet a with eyes that made her want to back away.

"Get your pad and come into my office," he said coldly. "Maybe we can get some work done, if you can keep your mind off lover boy." He turned and went back into the plush confines of his office while Danet a tried to get herself together. He thought she'd spent the night with Ben! It was almost comical, especial y after the way he'd been with her the day before.

She got her pad and pen and went into the office, but when she tried to explain, to tel him what had happened, he cut her off. He shaved while he dictated, then put on his tie and his jacket and combed his hair without looking at her.

"Got al that?" he asked final y. "Cal Karol and tel her I'l pick her up at eleven-thirty for lunch, and cancel my afternoon appointments," he added. "I don't know if I'l get back afterward." He smiled at Danet a's embarras ment. "Didn't you know that people made love in broad daylight? I'm surprised." She got up, shaky, and went back to her own office without a word. She worked through the morning without looking up, without saying anything to Cabe Rit er. It was al she could do to keep from bursting into tears.

"You'l have to have Meadows bring lunch in here," he said curtly when he was ready to leave. "You can't leave the phone. Those offshore people are going to cal about the part they need expres ed out there today." He paused at the door and his blue eyes sparkled with rage as he looked at her bent head. "Stay out of my office with him. The sofa isn't for afternoon romps."

She opened her mouth to speak, but he was gone. She picked up her dictionary and threw it at the door.

"You beast!" she raged, trembling, her voice thick with tears. "I hate you!"

Ben Meadows walked in, picked up the book and studied it. "You do?"

She cleared her throat and dabbed at the tears. "Sorry. The bos just left."

"So I gathered. Ready for lunch?"

"I can't go," she said miserably. "He says I have to stay by the phone."

"Oh." He blinked. "Wel . . suppose I bring you back something?"

"I don't real y want anything, Ben," she said as she sat back down. "Thanks anyway."

He hesitated. "We could go out to supper.. "

She shook her head. "I don't think so."

His eyes studied her intently. "Anything wrong?"

She looked up. She almost told him, but there was something in his face that made her hesitate. She forced a smile. "Why, nothing at al ," she said. He nodded, smiling back. "Okay. Uh, how's your iguana?"

She didn't remember tel ing him she had one, but maybe Cabe had. "He's fine, thanks. Have a nice lunch."

"Sure. Sorry you can't come with me. I'l grab a burger on the way. I've got an appointment at one. See you later."

"Okay."

Everybody was acting funny today, she thought, staring after Ben. She put her face in her hands. It had been a horrible night and an even worse morning. At least Mr. Rit er wouldn't be back. She could get her work done and dread the night. It was too far to go to her parents' house in Missouri and she had no close girlfriends except Jenny, who was somewhere in the southwest. She groaned inwardly. What a time to be al alone!

Lunch came and went. She drank two cups of black coffee and wished she'd had enough sense to pack a candy bar or something. She was starving. She gues ed Mr. Rit er would be having caviar and lobster or something equal y exotic, and she hoped he and his blonde choked on it. She bit her lower lip as she saw in her mind the erotic way he'd kis ed Karol that day in the office. He was probably doing that and more right now.

She got up from her desk and went into his office, her eyes on the long sofa where he'd put her the day before. She could close her eyes and feel his hard mouth on her own, feel the banked down fever she'd raised in him. She leaned against the doorway with her arms crossed tightly over her breasts and tears stung her eyes. It had al gone wrong so quickly. She'd had no chance at al with him. He should never have touched her. He knew how green she was. Why had he kis ed her that way, when he was only playing around?

"Nothing to do, Mis Marist?"

She stiffened at the deep, curt voice from behind. She moved back into her own office, avoiding looking directly at him. "I. .thought you wouldn't be back," she stammered. He studied her thoroughly, noting the traces of tears on her long eyelashes, pondering the way she'd been staring at his sofa. Al at once, he couldn't believe she'd been with Ben al night. Not when she had that tormented look on her face, not when she'd quite obviously been reminiscing about what they'd done on that sofa together the day before.

He caught her arm as she pas ed him and held her firmly, his thumb absently cares ing through the thin sleeve. "Where were you last night, baby?" he asked softly. The tone and the endearment broke down her cool reserve. "At a motel," she said brokenly. "With Norman. Somebody.. somebody broke into my apartment. .!"

"Oh, God." He gathered her into his arms, pres ing her close while she cried. His big hand smoothed her hair, his face nuzzled her soft cheek. "It's al right. I'l take care of you. Put the phone on hold for a minute and lock the door. We'l talk."

"But we can't," she whispered, her soft gray eyes searching his. "That phone cal . ."

"I phoned them while I was at lunch," he said gently. He wiped away the tears. "Lock the door." She did as he instructed and followed him into his office. She started to sit down in the chair, but he picked her up and sat down in his big desk chair with her in his lap, fit ing her comfortably into the curve of his arm. He lit a cigaret e.

Her wide gray eyes searched his while she tried to adjust to the sudden shift in their turbulent relationship.

"Tel me what happened," he said quietly.

She did, from the time she'd arrived at her apartment until she'd stuffed Norman into his travel carrier and left for the motel. "I don't even know what they were looking for," she said miserably. "But my apartment's a mes and I was so afraid."

"Why didn't you cal me?" he asked.