Page 53 of Flowers To Give

“Don’t. I mean, I get it - why you didn’t recognize me. We didn’t interact at all on set.”

“Right,” Jeremy nods, trying to pacify himself, “I only ever saw you from afar.”

“Yeah, I saw you from afar too,” Merle’s smile turns coy.

Jeremy scrunches his brow, “On set?”

“Mhm. Clark constantly hung out with you, so I noticed you. Always thought you looked really cute,” Merle adds the flirtation.

Shaking his head, Jeremy walks across the front porch and says over his shoulder, “I’m not in the mood.”

“What’s up?” Merle says from behind him, following him down the steps, “You act like you’re not happy to see me.”

“It’s not that,” Jeremy sighs before sucking on his cigarette again, “This is just really bad timing.”

“Really? Because I think it’s really good timing. Perfect, actually,” Merle hurries to keep pace with Jeremy. He steps in front of Jeremy halfway across the lawn, stopping him and saying, “Can you at least let me say my piece?”

Inhaling shakily, Jeremy’s grounded by Merle’s dark gaze and he relents, “Okay, what?”

“Come back to LA with me.”

Jeremy blinks, chuckling out of shock, “Excuse me?”

“Yeah, I want you to leave Colorado and come live with me in California,” Merle says again but more clearly.

Shaking his head, Jeremy’s gobsmacked, “I- I can’t.”

“Why not?” Merle asks simply.

“Because my life is here. My career.”

Merle shrugs as if that’s no problem, “Come live with me and you’ll never have to work another day in your life. And LA has plenty to offer, you’ll settle in great there.”

Jeremy keeps laughing and shaking his head, he asks, “Why?”

“Why do I want you to come live with me?”

“Uh, yeah,” Jeremy puts his hands on his hips, recalling their earlier conversation, “I thought we agreed we weren’t looking for anything serious.”

“Because,” Merle’s eyes search Jeremy’s, softening and genuine as he says, “I can’t stop thinking about you. You’re constantly on my mind. I really have never felt this way about someone before.”

Feeling choked, Jeremy squeezes out his words and replies, “After a couple nights together? That’s what you’re basing such a big decision on?”

Merle nods, “That’s fair. That’s why I’m not leaving until you come with me.”

“Say again?” Jeremy squints, not following.

“I’m going to stay in Limerick and come visit you on the ranch until you feel ready to come live with me,” Merle states, “That way we can spend more time together.”

Jeremy doesn’t know what to say, how to respond. He feels swept away without realizing the tide had come in.

Merle frowns briefly, adding, “Unless you really don’t want me. Just tell me right now that I’m crazy and you never want to see me again. I’ll go and won’t come back.”

Lost for breath, Jeremy can’t say that. He did enjoy his time with Merle, and in a lot of ways the timing is right; he’d just been thinking about running away from this place. He gulps down any saliva he can gather in his mouth and tells Merle, “This is a lot. I have to think about it.”

Smiling big, Merle steps into Jeremy’s personal space and touches his hand. His eyes flick down to Jeremy’s mouth and he tells him, “Everything I said, I meant. I know I’m not the best at relationships, but I think if I’m going to make it with anyone then I got a real chance with you.”

Jeremy can’t help but feel spellbound by the enchanting man, asking breathlessly, “What makes you so sure of that?”