Prologue

Cheyanne's movements were short and jerky as she stepped onto the elevator. She rubbed the back of her neck and bit her bottom lip. Pulling in a deep breath, she gave a warm, pasted on smile to the man already occupying she space. He'd already pressed five, which was the floor she needed to go to as well.

Unable to place where the nervousness was coming from, Cheyanne assured herself she had as much of a chance as anyone to get the position. In fact, she was overqualified. Not wanting to increase her anxiety anymore, Cheyanne closed her eyes and said a silent prayer. If anyone knew how important it was for her to leave CJ Enterprises as its newest executive assistant, it was God. Night after night, she prayed for this very thing, and that reminder gave her peace.

The elevator dinged, and Cheyanne stepped off. Her elevator companion's eyes lowered to her pear-shaped ass as she walked in front of him, and his perusal of her frame from behind made her smile. She looked back at him over her shoulder and cleared her throat, causing him to quickly lift his eyes to hers.

"Uh, h-have a good day, miss lady," the attractive, middle-aged man said.

"You too," Cheyanne replied through her chuckle.

Since she'd moved to Rose Valley Hills from Memphis, she attracted older men. It could have been the way she dressed and carried herself… Her pristine posture and modelesque walk. Whatever the case, it was always a boost to her confidence.

Cheyanne rounded the corner, familiar with the area already. This was her third and final interview for the position. Because of that, she'd be meeting with the CEO and man she'd be working under directly—Chandler Jones. Cheyanne had done a lot of research on the company and its CEO. What she learned was the reason she was adamant about securing the executive assistant position.

Chandler Jones reminded her of a younger version of her billionaire grandfather, Port Green. Like Port, Chandler built his wealth through investments and the delicate transaction of buying failing businesses, bringing them back to life, and selling them. That, along with the art and jewels Chandler invested in, made him a multi-millionaire by the age of thirty-four, and according to her grandfather's inner circles, he'd be a billionaire if he kept his current pace within the next five years.

At the sound of Cheyanne's heels against the carpeted floor, Amy's head lifted. She was the floor receptionist and always gave Cheyanne a welcoming and warm vibe when she arrived.

"Hi, Ms. Taylor. It's good to see you again."

"Please, call me Cheyanne, and you as well."

"Does this mean you're here for your third interview?"

"It does. Is Mr. Jones ready for me?"

"Let me check." Amy stood and headed to the office that was in the back of the octagon shaped space. She knocked and stuck her head in, then said a few words too quietly for Cheyanne to hear. Her head bobbed as she opened the door wider. "Mr. Jones is ready for you. Come on in."

Cheyanne took long strides in that direction, repeating the affirmations she'd said to herself in her bathroom mirror before she left home that morning.

"You've got this," Amy whispered softly, giving Cheyanne a soft pat on her back.

"Thank you, Amy." Cheyanne winked and squeezed her hand gently before stepping inside.

Her smile faltered at the sight of Chandler Jones. As the door closed behind her, she looked back, suddenly feeling trapped. The pictures she'd seen of Chandler online didn't seem to do him much justice.

"Wow." He stood, eyeing her frame slowly. "Come in."

Cheyanne took short steps in his direction. The flirty smile he gave her, before he licked his lips, made her heart race. Chandler walked around his desk and extended his hand in her direction, and Cheyanne hesitantly placed hers inside.

"Good morning, Mr. Jones. Thank you for meeting with me."

"Trust me, the pleasure is all mine."

Chandler released her hand and pulled the dark brown chair back slightly for her to sit. As she did, his closeness caused her arms to cover with chills. He didn't return to his seat behind his desk until she was seated comfortably, and it wasn't until he'd done the same that Cheyanne released the breath she was holding.

He was handsome.

Handsome seemed like too basic of a word.

His tall, athletic frame was covered in Nutella brown skin. The tapered, low fade fit his square shaped head perfectly. Chandler's beard was thick and shiny, surrounding skin colored, juicy lips. His eyes were dark, tight, and like lasers as he stared at her. The playful smile was barely there, but visible enough to keep Cheyanne calm.

"Shall we begin?" she asked, lacing her fingers in her lap. While Cheyanne wouldn't say the stare down was awkward, it evoked a feeling she didn't need to explore with the man she hoped to soon be working for.

"I suppose so." Chandler sat up in his seat and picked up what Cheyanne assumed was her résumé. "Are you… in a rush?"

Cheyanne's lips lifted slightly as she smirked. "Not necessarily, but I'm anxious about the interview. I really want this job."

Chandler's brows wrinkled as he read over her history. She nibbled her bottom lip, willing her leg not to shake. His head shook as he sighed and sat back in his seat. Their eyes locked, and yet again, her heart stilled.

"What are you doing here, Cheyanne?" Her mouth opened and closed, but he continued. "You know you're overqualified for this position. You double majored in communications law and international business, and you have a master's in business management. I feel like I would be taking advantage of you if I hired you to be my assistant."

Cheyanne smiled as she carefully considered how she wanted to respond. "I understand how my background can make you come to that conclusion. However, instead of viewing me being overqualified as a bad thing, why don't you look at the benefits?"

"Which are?"

"Well…" Cheyanne sat up in her seat, swallowing her nervousness. "My degrees should make you confident that I will not only be able to handle the basic requirements of this position but go above and beyond as well. I can help you with your schedule, planning, calls, and everything else listed, but I can also sit in on meetings to take notes and offer my expertise when it pertains to your deals. Only if you wanted me to. That's not my way of asking to be your partner or anything… just a second set of ears and a fresh mind if needed. I also have connections that you might find useful and the experience to handle meetings on your behalf if needed."

Chandler massaged his temple before picking up the résumé again. "I can't pay you what was offered, Cheyanne. If I agree to this, I'll have to double your salary."

"Oh, you don—is that—if you can afford it…"

Chandler chuckled as he stood. "Don't worry about that. I'll have someone in HR send you a compensation package to look over. If the benefits are to your liking, the job is yours."

A smile spread Cheyanne's lips as she stood. "That sounds wonderful. Thank you."

"Would you like to go out and celebrate?" Chandler asked, checking the time on his watch. He made his way around the desk, stepping close enough for her to inhale his woodsy, warm scent.

"I don't mix business with pleasure, Mr. Jones." Cheyanne spoke softly, hoping the quiet tone would keep Chandler from hearing how breathless his closeness made her.

"Then how about you allow me to give you pleasure tonight before we start business Monday?"

"Mr. Jon—"

"Chandler."

Her lips parted slightly as she inhaled a deep breath. "Only until Monday." Chandler nodded his agreement. "Chandler, I do find you attractive, but I'd prefer to keep things professional."

"As you wish," he agreed with a comfortable smile, putting space between them. "I hope you enjoy the rest of your day, and if you're pleased with the package, I'll see you Monday."

"Yes, sir. I'm sure you will."

Without waiting for him to say more, Cheyanne quickly left his office. It wasn't until she was away from him that she felt like herself again. She'd shared space with handsome men and been in relationships with them countless times but being around Chandler… that was different. All she could do was pray they were able to maintain a professional relationship.

"How'd it go?" Amy asked.

"I think it went pretty well. You may see me Monday."

"Yay!" They high fived and said their goodbyes before Cheyanne left. She was so nervous about the interview, she decided to use her grandfather's driver instead of driving herself. As soon as she was comfortably seated in the back of the town car, Cheyanne checked the time on her phone, along with her notifications.

"Where to, Ms. Taylor?"

"The View. I'm meeting Papa for lunch."

"Yes, ma'am."

A comfortable smile rested on Cheyanne's lips for the entire ride. She was grateful Chandler didn't allow her degrees to stop him from giving her the position. It was important to Cheyanne that she got a job outside of her grandfather's orbit—where no one knew who he or she was.

Once she made it to The View, the sight of the beach immediately vibrated her already peaceful soul. It was one of her favorite restaurants in Rose Valley Hills because it was directly on the sandy beach. A low hum escaped her as she rode the elevator up to the restaurant. When the doors opened, she greeted the hostess and let her know her party was already seated.

It didn't take Cheyanne long to find her grandfather. As she expected, he was seated to the left of the restaurant, on the patio. A large red umbrella shielded him from the beaming sun as he looked out into the ocean.

"Hi, Papa," she spoke, leaning down to place a kiss on his cheek. "I apologize for being late. My interview was this morning."

Port sucked his teeth as she sat next to him behind the black bar-top like setting. "I'm not sure why you're so adamant about working anywhere other than with me anyway. You know I want you to come into the fold so you can take over for me one day. How do you plan to do that, working for someone else?"

Cheyanne's eyes rolled playfully. "I know, Papa, but you know how important it is for me to carve my own way. I appreciate you holding space for me there, but I want to find a job on my own."

"As a personal assistant?"

The disgust that covered his face made her laugh.

"Executive assistant," she corrected, "but that's irrelevant. I want to work somewhere that is not attached to you and our family. Will you please just be happy for me?"

"I'm always happy for you, Belle, and proud of you."

Belle.

Port had been calling Cheyanne ‘Belle' for as long as she could remember. It wasn't just because of her looks, though he always told his granddaughter she was beautiful; it was also because of her love for Disney movies and books. For quite some time, her favorite movie was Beauty and the Beast. Port loved her so much and wanted her to be as comfortable as she could be in his home, so he had a room converted into a library just for her. Over the years, the literature housed on the shelves changed, but the library remained—even after she moved out.

They continued to have small talk after their waitress came to take Cheyanne's order. By the time they were leaving, she'd received an email from CJ Enterprises with the compensation package. Even though Cheyanne was pleased with what they offered, she decided not to accept until the next morning. She went home happy and at peace, sure working for Chandler was the right decision.