Page 26 of Flowers To Give

The security guard looks like he’s going to add another thing, but the door is shut. Jeremy leans into the wood, wondering what the hell he just did. Hoping that he hasn’t just let a serial killer into his room, Jeremy carefully walks into the main space. The surfer is unzipping the top of his wetsuit, looking over to Jeremy as he walks in.

“So,” Jeremy bites his lip before continuing, “Sorry about that.”

“About?” The surfer speaks.

“This,” Jeremy gestures around them.

The surfer cracks a beautiful, toothy smile as he tells Jeremy, “I should be thanking you. Although, I have to warn you, I’m a lousy boyfriend. Don’t think I’d make a much better husband.”

Jeremy dares to chuckle, “Noted.”

The surfer extends his hand, introducing himself, “Merle.”

“Jeremy,” he shakes his hand.

“Say,” Merle points after they shake hands, “Do you ride horses by chance?”

Figuring Merle must have seen him riding through town with the other horse wranglers, he nods, “Yeah. I’m out here from Colorado working on this movie production.”

Merle nods.

Jeremy takes a deep breath before pressing on, “Well, I bet that security guard will be hanging out for a bit. You can take a shower or whatever, if you want, until it’s safe to escape.”

“Yeah, that sounds really nice actually,” Merle takes him up on his offer, passing Jeremy to get to the bathroom. Right when the door closes, Jeremy spins around and pushes his hair back in disbelief. This feels like some sort of fantasy world; a handsome surfer just so happens to end up stuck in Jeremy’s room with him at the height of his sexual frustration.

Glad he at least brushed his teeth, Jeremy wishes he could peek into the bathroom to double check his reflection. Instead, he picks up his room a bit so it’s not a total mess and tries to fix his mess of hair on his phone’s frontal camera. After, he considers smoking a cigarette to settle his nerves but doesn’t want to stink. He sticks to gnawing on flavored toothpicks as he sits out on the balcony and taps his foot.

Merle comes outside, dry and clean in a fresh change of clothes he must’ve had in the backpack with him. He sits beside Jeremy and asks, “I know it’s nasty, but do you mind if I light a cigarette?”

“Oh, thank Christ,” Jeremy exhales, spitting out his toothpick and pulling out his pack of Marlboros. Merle laughs and gets his American Spirits. Patting down his pants, Jeremy realizes that he left his zippo at Clark’s penthouse. Turning to Merle, he asks, “Actually, do you have a light?”

“C’mere,” Merle grins, igniting the lighter and holding it out for Jeremy. He maintains strict eye contact as he leans forward into the flame and inhales. Merle bites his lip as Jeremy sits back, saying, “Y’know, that was some stunt you pulled back there.”

“You’re one to talk,” Jeremy replies, reaching behind them to close the screen door so the smoke doesn’t get into the room.

“How’d you know I needed saving?”

Jeremy chews on his cheek for a bit before answering, “Um, I was watching you.”

Merle chuckles nervously, “Uh…”

“From here, look, you can see the beach. My sleep schedule is all messed up from being on set so sometimes I come out here at night. Anyway, I watched you surf. You’re really good,” Jeremy explains as calmly as possible although he wouldn’t put it past the guy if Merle wanted to leave right that instant. He shrugs, finishing with, “When I saw that security guard stopping you, it really got me going. I couldn’t just sit here and watch you get busted.”

“So,” Merle exhales a billow of smoke, “‘Husband’ was your best bail out?”

“It worked. Sort of.”

Merle nods, lips puckered in thought. He glances up to Jeremy from under his dark lashes and it makes his heart thud, realizing now that this guy is totally his type. Smirking as if he can read Jeremy’s mind, Merle openly flirts, “I think it only worked because it was so believable. We make a cute couple.”

Jeremy bites at the bait, “Aren’t you a terrible boyfriend? What makes you think I’d marry you?”

“Because I’m great in bed,” Merle leans his body toward Jeremy.

Heart undeniably skipping a beat, Jeremy holds his own and asks casually, “We really doing this?”

Merle shrugs, “You’re hot.”

“Yeah, you’re hot too,” Jeremy admits, sobering himself up by adding, “Hot and mysterious. I don’t know anything about you.”