Great unwashed? He had rubbed up against the truly unwashed on Christmas Eve. And at first he was horrified. But he'd come to know a few of them, if only a little, and to understand where they were coming from. And this woman was treating even people with homes and jobs as beneath her contempt.
" … And those awful kids, of course. Sitting on your lap! They probably drooled as they begged dear old Santa for lots and lots of the most ridiculous gifts."
No, not all of the kids were awful. Tanner could think of one in particular that he wouldn't mind seeing again. But Merinda was at last saying something sensible. He knew where this was going - she would soon launch into a denunciation of the commercialization of Christmas and the greed choking our great nation. Of course. He'd thought a bit about that over the past few weeks.
"And those kids were doubtlessly disappointed. Hell, even I was disappointed this year. Daddy is still struggling a little from the real estate bust a few years ago. And I was really eager for a decent car. My Mercedes is just so embarrassing. It's such a conservative car, really, even in price, and the darn thing is a year old now. My friends all pity me. And my wardrobe. And … "
Tanner had a lot of practice tuning this sort of thing out, and tune it out he did. What was shocking him was the fact that he was no longer so eager to take her back to his place and get her in his bed. What in the hell was wrong with him?
Who gave a crap if she was shallow? What did it matter if she was beginning to bore him? Her body was still out-of-this-world erotic, and she had lips that would fit just right around certain body parts. Strange. Why did that thought now disgust him instead of excite him?
Dinner finished a couple of long-suffering hours later, and Tanner decided that as soon as he got the woman out of the restaurant, he'd rush her to his car, dump her at her place without so much as a goodnight kiss, and, pleading a headache, speed away.
"Tanner, you wouldn't mind making one quick stop for me, would you?" she asked, her fingernails sliding up and down his forearm, her eyes fluttering once again. He'd been interested a few hours ago, but that look was now making him physically ill.
"Of course," he said automatically, though he would rather chew on nails than spend any extra time in her presence. How had she been so interesting a month ago, and even at the beginning of their evening tonight, and then turn on him so quickly?
She named an address and Tanner's eyebrows shot together, but he pulled out into traffic and headed in that direction. When he pulled up in front of an exclusive jewelry store that was normally closed at this time of night, his pulse picked up speed.
"Oh, thanks, darling. My daddy needs me to pick up his cuff links," she said with a giggle. And she didn't move from the passenger seat.
In any other circumstance, he would have gotten out of his car and gone to open the door for her. But this time he sat there, frozen. He last thing he wanted to do was to go with her into that jewelry store.
"Tanner?" she asked.
Dammit! Caving in, he apologized for the delay before stepping from his car and moving over to open her door.
"It's okay. I enjoy sitting in your car, too. The seats are just so comfortable, much more comfy than what I have my outdated Mercedes."
If she made one more comment about her car, which cost more than most people made in two years, he might "accidentally" push her off the curb into oncoming traffic.
"Welcome back, Ms. Raffel. Are you here to see that necklace?"
Tanner was somehow able to wipe all expression from his face, but his body was tense as he escorted Merinda to the counter. The salesman was practically salivating. Of course he was. He worked on commission.
"No, Clinton, I'm picking up my father's cuff links," she said with a pout. But a brilliant smile turned up her lips. "But since I'm here, can I see my necklace again."
"Of course." The man went into the back and returned with a velvet case, which he set on the pristine glass counter. When he flipped open the lid, Merinda gave a happy little gasp. Then she looked up and she met Tanner's eyes with a calculating look.
He'd had enough.
Tanner had bought a lot of jewelry, and he knew it well. The necklace Merinda was so desperately trying to get him to buy her came to at least a hundred thousand dollars. That was a low-end bid. And a month ago, he'd have had no problem buying something like that if a woman was good enough in bed to be worth the high price tag.
He'd thought her beautiful. Sheesh. Now, all he could see was ugliness. How could anyone justify wearing something so extravagant for a single night when the streets were filled with people who would be grateful for a single piece of toast?