Page 28 of The Billionaire's Temptation

Clarissa tapped on her phone and ordered six taxis to her house. Then she turned and walked out to the pool area to let everyone know that the party was over.

Chapter 8

Only one couple took the offered taxi ride home. Clarissa had given each of the driver’s a twenty for the fare, not sure if the partygoers had any cash on them.

Blaire sneered at Clarissa. “We tried to make this a fun night! Why did you have to ruin everything?”

“I…” Clarissa started to reply, but Levi’s arm around her waist stopped her explanation. Blaire and Chad weren’t listening anyway as they stomped off to a flashy, red Mercedes convertible. As soon as Blaire and Chad stepped into their car, she dialed the sergeant’s number.

As soon as the man answered, Clarissa said, “The first drunk driver is on their way. All but one refused a taxi.”

“Thank you, Ms. Donata,” the officer replied. “I see the first one coming out of your driveway now. Thanks again for the tip,” he ended the call.

Clarissa watched from the front stoop as the guests drove away in their own vehicles. Four police officers stopped those vehicles as soon as they pulled out onto the street. And all eight people were arrested. Some for public intoxication, the drivers for driving under the influence and one had an assault charge tacked onto their arrest report because the woman took a swing at the arresting officer.

Stepping back inside, she turned to find the stranger and Levi waiting for her.

“That wasn’t how the evening was supposed to go,” she told the two men.

Levi chuckled. “Clarissa, this is Hendrix Pilarti. He’s the head of security for one of my businesses.”

Clarissa stepped closer to shake his hand, almost annoyed when she didn’t feel any sort of spark from the attractive man’s touch. It was so completely different from what she felt when Levi touched her. Darn it!

“Pleased to meet you,” Hendrix said as he shook her hand. “And this is Betty,” he explained, referring to the German Shepherd that had remained by his side the whole time. “I borrowed her from a friend. She’s the one that found the brick of heroine in your bedroom.”

Clarissa was already bending down to greet the dog when Hendrix’s words hit her. “She foundwhat?”

Hendrix nodded. “A whole brick, Ms. Donata,” he repeated. “It wasn’t very well hidden, so the police officers would have found it as soon they started looking.” He reached down to scratch Betty’s ears. “There was enough there that it might have made the news tomorrow. Especially since you’ve just come into your inheritance. The world would love to know that someone with as much money as you now have could be arrested for distribution.”

That caused all of the relief to seep right out of her. “That’s horrible!” she whispered. Then her eyes turned to Levi. He was standing close by and Betty pranced over to him, nudging his hand playfully. Obviously, the two were good friends.

“Well,” she cleared her throat, looking around as if seeing the world differently. “Thanks to both of you, I won’t lose my new house tonight!” she said, looking for the silver lining in the situation. She even looked around at the house, startled by how much she was growing to hate this place.

“I’m going to head on out,” Hendrix announced.

Clarissa’s gaze moved back to Levi as Hendrix left the room. All she knew was that they were finally alone. Okay, except for the naked couple still snoring behind the sofa. They hadn’t been able to wake the pair up. Levi had shifted both onto their sides to ensure that they were still breathing, then covered them up with a blanket.

Now, however, it felt as if she and Levi were genuinely alone.

“I should head out as well,” Levi said, but instead of moving towards the door, he came towards her. He kept walking until he was mere inches from her.

“You were magnificent tonight,” he whispered to her.

Clarissa smiled, feeling an unexpected warmth suffuse her. Why did his opinion mean so much to her? Instead, she stared up into his blue eyes, overwhelmed by how much she wanted him to kiss her.

“Why was I so magnificent?” she asked, her voice low and husky.

“The way you stood up for yourself. It was amazing. I can’t tell you how many people I know who would have been in tears after a police search.”

She lifted her chin slightly. “Tears don’t help anything.”

“You never cry?”

She thought about the day of her mother’s funeral. That had been the last time she’d cried. “Not anymore.”

She half expected him to ask her why not, but instead, he kissed her. And since she’d been hoping that would happen, Clarissa immediately tilted her head back and leaned into his embrace. She was stunned by the power of his kiss. Within moments, she lost herself in the whirlwind of need his lips created inside of her.

Levi had only meant to touch her briefly, then pull away. Clarissa Donata was a dangerous woman. She was confusing, sweet, and too damned innocent for this world.

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