Dragon age 2 merrill romance?

do you have to have Merrill's friendship specialization before the deep roads quest to romance her because I'm just about at 50 percent friendship with her but I still dont have her specialization|||If you have been flirting and not begun a romance with anyone else you will be fine. I don't think you can start the romance before the deep roads. It will heat up in act 2. Just make sure to talk to her when the journal tells you to and give her both gifts.