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“Yes, Carlie?”

“Your appointment has arrived. Would you like me to set up your room?”

Rebecca looked up from the spreadsheets she had been trying to study since she got in.

“Excuse me?”

Rebecca could only imagine what Carlie saw as she stared back. A soft pink bustier was hidden behind a power suit in a darker shade. Mistress’s mask was also pink today and hid most of her face. But she didn’t think there was a mask big enough to hide the absolute confusion in her eyes. Carlie had been with her for a couple of years but had never seen Mistress as anything but confident and in control. That was something Mistress made sure of.

“Um.” It was a rare moment of uncertainty from the normally efficient assistant. “Your appointment.”

“This is my first day back. I don’t have any appointments.” Rebecca started flipping through her calendar. Rebecca was one who needed every “I” dotted, every “T” crossed. Which is why she had taken care of everything of importance regarding the club before she left. And, why she insisted on going over every line of the club’s profit/loss reports herself. At this point, the club could practically run itself. As such, there’d be no way she would have set up any appointments on her first day back.

“Oh, well, Mr. Abrams came in and requested…”

“You booked a client? With me?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Carlie, you know that I don’t do that any longer. I haven’t taken clients for almost a year now. Why did you book my room?”

“Well, um.” Carlie shuffled her feet. It wasn’t often Mistress got upset with her. “You had a client before you left, Mistress. I just assumed…”

“Never assume, Carlie,” Mistress said harshly. She forced herself not to say Cassidy’s name. Or to tell her assistant—who knew nothing about her personal life—that Cassidy was much more than a client. That she was never a client. “Cancel.”

“But, Mistress.” Carlie’s mouth clamped shut when Mistress looked up at her sternly. “It’s just, he’s been calling every other week. He’s paying triple your rate.”

“I don’t care.” Mistress’s voice turned icy. No matter how different she felt inside, she was still in control. Having Carlie go behind her back and take on a client for her without her permission was unacceptable. “Cancel. And, don’t ever do this again. I am no longer taking clients. Understood?”

“Yes, Mistress. What should I tell Mr. Abrams?”

Mistress lifted a brow, but the effect was lost behind the mask. “You made the appointment, figure it out.” She sighed when Carlie merely stood there. “Find him someone else, or tell him that under no circumstances will I be seeing him or anyone again. I’ve… retired.” Ugh, way to make yourself feel old.

Rebecca’s cell phone rang cutting off any further conversation between her and her assistant. She waved her out of the office before picking up her phone. A genuine—and relieved—smile graced her face when she saw Cassidy’s name on her screen.

“Hey,” she answered softly.

“Hey, baby. Is it okay that I called?”

They had been taking advantage of their “honeymoon stage” for the past week and it had been absolute bliss. Rebecca made good on her guarantee that they would spend more time together than apart. And, Cassidy made good on… well, everything she did to Rebecca. This was actually the first night they would be spending the night separately.

“Of course, it is. I’m actually glad to hear your voice.”

“Everything okay?” Cass heard a slight edge to Rebecca’s tone and was immediately alert.

Rebecca sighed. “Yes. My assistant somehow got it in her head that I’m taking clients again. She just told me I had an appointment.”

Well, shit. Didn’t see that one coming. Cassidy was eerily quiet for a second. “I see. I guess this is a bad time then. I’ll let you go,” she said flatly.

Amazingly, Rebecca kept her cool. Oddly enough, she understood Cassidy’s confused jealousy. “Cassidy, I’m not taking any clients.”

“Oh. I thought you said…”

“I said my assistant made the appointment. Not me. Apparently, since I had you in my room, she thought I was back in the game. I’m not. She’ll have to tell Mr. Abrams to find someone else.”

Cassidy blew out a breath of absolute relief. “Good. I mean, you know, if that’s what you want.” Smooth, Cass.

Rebecca chuckled at Cassidy’s attempt at nonchalance. “It’s what I want.”