Read Online His Girl Friday by Diana Palmer - Free Book Online

got a beautiful cousin, but she doesn't spend much time at home."
    "Why not?" he asked very casual y.
    She proceeded to tel him why, her tongue loosened by the white wine. But after a few minutes, she became aware that she was babbling. "Sorry. I gues the wine went to my head."
    "Everything about you fascinates me, as it happens," he said quickly. "And your cousin sounds like a real y interesting lady. Too bad she can't put down roots."
    "That's what I think, too,"
    "I gues you like sharing an apartment with her," he murmured, "since you've got it to yourself most of the time."
    "Yes, I real y do. She was home earlier in the week, but only overnight." She laughed and put down her glas . "Gosh, Ben, that stuff is potent!''
    "So they say." He pursed his lips again, studying her quietly. "I'd like to get to know you, Danet a Marist, if you're on the level, and the corporate wolf doesn't have your name in his book. I don't want to step on Mr. Rit er's toes."
    "I don't belong to Mr. Rit er," she informed him. She frowned. "I never realized people thought! did."
    "Not people," he said. "Just me." He shrugged. "I'm new in the company. Al I know about people is what I hear."
    "Where did you work before?" she asked with a smile.
    "In California," he said, and abruptly changed the subject. "Tel me about this geology stuff. That's old man Rit er's company that your cousin works for, isn't it? I thought Cabe Rit er had an interest in it when I came to work here, but he doesn't seem to."
    "Oh, no, he and his father don't get along." She shook her head. "I gues he'l inherit it one day, but he's strictly in the equipment busines right now. I doubt he even knows what Eugene's doing."
    Ben said something under his breath and took a sip of wine. For a minute he looked distant, then he studied Danet a again. "Wel , I gues your cousin leads an exciting life. Does she ever tel you about her jaunts?"
    Something about this sounded odd, but she was too dizzy to consider it.
    "Not a word, it's al hush-hush, like James Bond." Danet a chuckled, liking her lit le joke. "But she draws strange pictures of things." She frowned. "She had this geology map that she traced and marked on. She forgot it, too. I'l have to put it in the mail to her tomorrow."
    Ben brightened. "Map, huh? I'd love to see a real geology map."
    "Oh, I couldn't show you," she said with an apologetic smile. "She'd be mad. Why did you think I was having an affair with the boss?" she added curiously.
    "No reason, real y," he murmured absently. "Just the way he looked at you the other day. But there's Karol Sar-tain, of course," he said, smiling indifferently. "So he may actual y be caught this time," he chuckled. "From what I hear, Karol doesn't sleep around. If he's got it bad for her, he'l have to marry her first. That's a lady with a first-clas brain," he added absently. "Very thorough. She'l go far in the busines world. I've known her for a couple of years. She dated an uncle of mine once." Danet a didn't want to talk about Karol. In fact she felt sick. She moved her wineglas and saw her hand shake on the stem. It was ridiculous to feel so miserable. She knew that Cabe Rit er was a playboy, and she knew he'd dated nobody except Karol for weeks. Why should she care, anyway? Ben liked her.
    "You okay?" Ben asked, frowning.
    "Of course. The wine's gone to my head. I'm sorry," she apologized. "I'm not used to it."
    "No problem. I'l guide you back to the office." He chuckled. "I'l even carry you up the elevator shaft if you like."
    "You're a prince, Ben," she told him warmly.
    "I wish the bos paid me like one," he sighed. "Salaries around here are the pits, Danet a. Okay, if you're ready, we'l go."
    "I enjoyed lunch," she told him, smiling wanly.
    "We'l do it again," he promised, and held her waist firmly as he guided her toward the counter, to keep her from wobbling. Ben got her to the office and put her inside, smiling at her worried look. "Don't let him upset you," he whispered, hearing