Page 46 of Merrick

“What is it you think I want?” He asked in a dangerously soft tone.

“You want me to live with you and that is not going to happen. You want a relationship, and I am not in the market for one. I do not do relationships because they are messy, and I am too old and set in my ways. Besides that, you are Merrick Pendergast, what the holy hell are you doing with someone like me?”

“Someone like you?”

“My family is tainted, and I am just a simple woman with simple tastes. I hate shopping – I would rather be stretched out and have nails driven into my palms than spend a day shopping. I hardly do housework, and I do not cook – period. I am a slob and the most important thing…” She picked up her wineglass and took a swallow.

“I do not know wines. I do not know which utensils to use, and I do not give a crap. I will only embarrass you if we go out together at your fancy events. And I hate socializing because I do not like people.”

And I am a cop who is using you to try and get to the bottom of a case. When you find out, you are going to hate me and it’s killing me.

“Are you finished?” He asked quietly, intense gray eyes on her face.

“For now, yes.”

“Let me try and address your concerns in the correct order. I have an account at Romano’s which means you never have to step inside a store. I have a housekeeper and if she is not enough, then I am perfectly willing to hire any other staff. If you want to know about wines, I am willing to teach you.

Basically, all those things are superfluous. All I want is you and the rest is just…,” he waved a hand. “It’s additives – ones that we can work around. Yes, when you are ready, I would like you to accompany me to various functions and would consider it an honor to have you next to me.”

“Merrick…”

“Let me finish.” Taking the glass from her, he scooted over and hauled her into his lap. “I am in love with you…”

“Oh God!”

He smiled grimly at her terrified expression. He had not meant to tell her so soon, in case he scared her off, but he did not care.He loved her. For the first time in his life, he was head over heels in love with someone and he did not want to keep it to himself any longer. What she did with it was up to her.

“And when you get used to the idea of my adoration, I want to marry you.” He held on tight as she started to jerk away. “I will wait until you are ready and I hope one day soon, you will say it back to me.

But for now, I want to hold you, be with you every single day.” His hands drifted up to cup her face. “Let me love you darling. I do not care where you come from or anything like that. All I want is you.”

Her throat burned; her body felt as if it was melting from the inside out. She could not hear these words. She was a fraud. And very soon he would know it.

“Say something.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying,” she whispered hoarsely, “you do not know me. You do not know who I am.”

“Then show me.” He murmured, thumbs caressing her cheeks. “There is nothing you tell me that I am not willing to hear and adjust to. I am here, darling, and I am not going anywhere.”

She curled into him and could not stop the tears.

He wrapped his arms around her, cradling her against his chest as she sobbed.

He was not used to her being so vulnerable and felt an aching tenderness invaded his very soul.

Margo was thinking that for the first eighteen years of her life, she thought no one cared about her. She had been a scrawny kid and a sickly one as well and no one had wanted to take that on, and it stung. She had been forced to become tough and put on a veneer of coldness just to survive.

She never showed emotions, had learned to hide what she was feeling. Now this man had come into her life and was showing her that it was never too late for anything. But it was off – the timing sucked. She could not accept his love or anything else he had to offer.

Lifting her face from his chest, his eyes scanned her wet cheeks and eyes washed with tears.

“I have to ask, is it a good sign that I have brought you to tears?”

She laughed shakily and blinked. “I will let you know. Do me a favor?”

“Anything.” He said solemnly.

“Make love to me.”

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