Chapter 4

There was little or no fall that season. The weather went from summer right into winter. Danielle found two more major mistakes Molly had made that brought Rose's business more income. This times it was nearly six figures. Thanksgiving, Christmas passed and the New Year of 2003 was upon them.

Fashionable as always, Danielle wore the best of clothes for winter. Her suits were now all wool lined with silk and blouses of satin. She wore leather boots to mid calf with a three inch heel. She had these boots in every color under the sun. They always matched her suits. Her coats were woolen too. Black, Red, Navy, and Dark Green. Woolen gloves and white earmuffs. She was the height of fashion and drew envious glares from the other female staff members. Some glares were not so kind. Catty talk about her clothes became the subject of their conversations. Also some were jealous that she had become Rose's favorite so they chatted in whispers. If Danielle were aware of it, she ignored them. She was always cheerful and greeted each one warmly with a bright smile each day.

It was mid January when a big snow hit the city. Danielle managed to make it in on time and surprised to find only Rose sitting at her desk. She hung up her coat, hat, and gloves in the closet then walked to the office and rapped on the door.

Rose smiled, waving her in. "Always dependable," the boss said.

"Where is everyone?" Danielle asked.

"They called one by one saying that they couldn't make it in. They said that their doors had high drifts and can't get out of their houses or apartments."

"Hmmph," the tiny girl sat down across from her boss. "It wasn't too hard for me. I got the bus at seven, made it to my transfer point then waited for a while for the bus to get me here, it was slow but not impossible." Rose noticed again that Danielle wore no makeup with exception of some mascara to darken her light eye lashes and brows.

"Well perhaps the others don't have the dedication you do," Rose smiled.

"Well with no Phoebe, I'll just have to do some research in our past to see if I can find anymore mistakes. I'm past Molly and now I'm doing a girl named Donna," she stated.

"A damn fine job you have been doing," Rose nodded.

"I'd better get to work," the small blonde stood up. Her hair was perfectly done up with those two curly locks of hair on each side of her cheeks.

"You can really go home, you know," Rose offered.

"And do what? Sit around being bored or jumping on a chat line on the internet? Spare me that, I'd rather be here," she smiled, leaving the office.

Rose sat there blinking. She was so much in love with Danielle, she couldn't think she could go another day without ravaging her. She hadn't been with a woman since the girl started here and her hormones were bouncing all over her body. She felt the only reason she was able to control herself was she had walked to work instead of driving. True, Rose lived only a mile and a half north of here, her legs were tired from trudging all that way in the deep snow.

She watched the girl disappear behind her cubicle to boot up her computer. Then went back to her reports from a new sales girl she hired before Christmas. She was a doll too. Vicki had long red hair, green eyes to die for, and fabulous body. But she was straight. Rose knew Vicki was untouchable. Besides she was bringing in more and more business over the past month. Vicki didn't turn her on like Danielle. All good things come in small packages and the best of the small packages was that little thing doing her work in her cubicle.

By noon, the snow was coming down heavier than ever. Rose noted she couldn't see the building across the street. She stretched her arms and yawned. 'Better send her home, ' she thought.

"I think we should get home before we get snowed in," she stated, standing at the opening to Danielle's little cubicle.

"I found another error," Danielle stated. "Isn't that that an extra number for this category? It looks kind of high to me."

Rose bent down to look at the screen. The perfume Danielle was wearing intoxicated her. She breathed it in deeply trying to concentrate where the tiny blonde was pointing.

"I think you're right," she laid her hand on Danielle's shoulder. The feeling of satin on her hand was getting to her. "Mark it, and we'll look at it tomorrow. Close down and you get home."

"Okay," Danielle saved the program to a CD then shut down. She noticed the warm hand on her shoulder.

"I had forgotten my shopping I did on my lunch hour yesterday," she reached for a bag of things she left behind the day before. Once into her coat and earmuffs, she pulled on her woolen gloves awaiting for Rose so they could walk out together.

After locking up the office and hitting the special security numbers on the alarm, they walked to the elevator to ride down to the main floor. Upon entering the lobby, they saw just how much snow had piled up in the past three hours.

"Uh-oh," Danielle noticed the bumper to bumper traffic that was not moving. "I'm going to have a devil of a time getting home today."

"Look at that," Rose marveled at the deepness of it against the door.

"I'm looking," Danielle fretted.

"I'm walking home, I live a little over a mile from here. Do you want to stay with me until you can make your way to your place?" she asked. At that moment there was no thought of seduction.

"I guess I better," she agreed.

"It's only going to get worse," Rose stated. "Let's get going."

"Lead on," Danielle smiled.

Every step they took was drudgery. Danielle stepped into Rose's tracks but being so small and not being able to take larger steps, she eventually gave up and just made her own prints in the snow. It took them an hour to get halfway.

"Irving's open," Rose noticed her favorite deli. They walked inside to the warmth of the deli. The aroma of the food made them both hungry."

"Ahhh, my best customer," Irving grinned seeing Rose all covered with snow.

"Quit the bullshit, Irv. Thanks for being open." Rose joked.

"What can I get you ladies," Irving's eyes fell upon the little blonde trying to shake herself free from all the snow on her. "And who is this lovely angel," he asked.

"This is Danielle and she works with me."

"Nice to meet you," Danielle smiled brightly. Irving's heart melted seeing how beautiful she was. She looked like a little pixie to him.

"Nice to meet you too," he said, pointing to a booth.

"Two big bowls of your chicken soup and... what do you want to drink?" her eyes fell on Danielle who already had her coat on a hook."

"Hot tea."

"Two hot teas," Rose ordered.

"Soup and tea, coming up."

"Make us two corned beef sandwiches on rye with your famous mustard to go."

"Okay, you ladies sit down and let me serve you," Irving got busy.

"I eat here all the time," Rose told Danielle as they settled in. Danielle took her two wet locks around her cheeks and integrated them to the rest of her wet mane.

"Then the food must be good," the girl smiled.