Chapter Nine: Attraction

Meria gained consciousness due to a long and heavy turbulence.

"Don't worry, it's just turbulence. It'll be over soon." Joseph said that fully awaken Meria.

Her frown amused him that the corner of his mouth twitch up.

"Where are we?" she asked getting of the bed and walking towards him beside the window. Her eyes turn slits in confusion at the sight outside the window.

"In a plane." he said with a smile. "You said you need to see someone in the Philippines. We're going to see her."

Her confusion turn into excitement as she leap into his arms. He was surprised by her actions but still laugh at her. Who knows that mermaids knows the 'hugging' thing? He didn't.

Meria pulled back after much to his dismay but he concealed his disappointment well with a smile. As much as he wants their arms to be wrapped around each other, he doesn't want to make a move that will jeopardize her trust.

"I'm sorry but I don't know what a plane is." she admitted. He smiled at her honesty. Of course, she don't. He don't think planes are made to function underwater anyways.

She look at him with full curiosity. He let out a hand, "Come..." he offered that Meria learned to grab for the past experiences. He lead her out of the cabin and into the couches near the mini bar counter. There's a miniature of the plane placed in one of the tables. Joseph took it and showed it to Meria.

"This is a plane."

Meria took the object and studied it for a while. "You mean, we're inside this?"

"Not that but the bigger version. We are actually flying above the clouds."

"Flying?" the word itself amazes Meria. She knows what flying is but she never knew she could. "We're flying?!" she couldn't believe it

Joseph nodded. "We sure are." he answer with a smile. "Oh look outside, you can see the world from up here."

She bet she look like a child that first saw magic but she can't hide all the excitement knowing that she's flying.

First, she gained a pair of legs and now she's seeing the world beneath her.

"It's amazing!" she said with awe looking at the world under. Her face an inch from the glass window.

Suddenly a loud growl interrupted the moment. Joseph laughed. Even if Meria didn't know what caused that noise, she knows it's from her and she somehow feel embarrassed without an apparent reason.

"You should eat." Joseph said which she just nodded and take one of the plush seats inside the plane.

Joseph asked one of the stewardess to prepare Meria something to eat. After several minutes, she was served and she eat it deliciously. "This is so good." she said putting another piece of meat inside her mouth.

Joseph took the seat infront of her and watch her eat. He took out his phone and decided to take a stolen picture of her. She looks more beautiful when her eyes are sparkling with joy like now.

He noticed smear of sauce in the corner of her mouth and without even thinking, his hands reach to wipe it. Meria's head snap up at him. He smiled but when she returned the smile, it seems to cause him to freeze in his seat and he can't to find a way to breath. He blink rapidly bringing himself back to his senses and found Meria devouring back the food.

The way she close her eyes in pleasure, the movement of her tongue across her luscious lips and the sound of her moan drive him to the edge of his seat that he'll be abandoning any moment if he'll not restraint himself from taking her mouth and making him moan his name this time while taking her inch by delicious inch. Just the mere thought of it is driving him crazy. Damn it!

She doesn't seem to notice his unease because she carry on eating.

When she finished her food, she let out a loud burp that stunned both of them and loosen up the tension in Joseph's belly. He ended up laughing while Meria's cheeks shows faint red stain from embarrassment.

The stewardess cleaned their table with a pleasant smile towards Meria which she return with a 'thank you'.

"You said we're going to the Philippines." she said and Joseph nodded. "You don't know how truly grateful I am, Joseph. I assure you that your kindness will be paid once everything become okay in Oceana again."

"You don't have to." he answered looking at her. "I am honored to help."

"Thank you." she said with a sincere smile.

***

"You're cheating!" Meria shouted when she saw Joseph sneaking a card under the table.

"What? No!" he denied with a goofy smile

After her meal, they decided to talk about things about each other. He learned that the person they were seeing will tell them what to do. He also told him things about human that she seems to be curious to try like biking and cooking. He made a mental note to squeeze those things when they got the chance. After discussing random things, they came to the idea of playing cards and now they're arguing on the third round. Joseph laughed.

"Yes you are!" she argued and stand up from her seat. "Let me see your cards!" she demanded but Joseph was fast enough to run before she get to him. Meria run after him trying to get the cards from him.

"I told you, I didn't cheat." he said waving the cards in the air where she can't reach. She's tall for an average woman but he's taller.

"I saw you did. Don't deny it. Now your lying." she said as she jump up to reach the cards that she did but when her feet landed back down, another torbulence occured that made her loose her balance and fall to Joseph. He fell straight to the couch behind him.

She's on top of him and their faces an inch apart. A wave of awareness washes Joseph as how her body is pressed against his. When she was about to pull herself up, another turbulence happened. A bit stronger this time which made her shriek in surprise and clutch to him, burying her face on his neck.

Joseph bit his bottom lip to prevent himself from smiling like a dog. He would admit that he like their current state position but he knows that Meria is scared so he sat upright and gather her in his arms, making her sit on his lap and rubbing her back trying to calm her down.

***

After what happened, Meria once again drifted to slumber. Joseph decided to carry her back to the cabin she previously slept in.

Feeling the exhaustion that he felt seeing the bed, he decided to lower himself as well beside Meria. His arm under her neck while her head found the comfort between his neck and shoulder. This is nice, he thought as he settle her closer. Warm and cozy.

He's trying his best to ignore the warm breath tickling and the soft perfectly molded breast mashed against him. Determined to keep his reaction at bay, he pressed his eyes shut and take deep breaths. He tried to put a gap between their bodies but only gain a breathy sigh when she snuggled closer.

Now he's body is starting to react again. Wilder this time. Joseph's jaw locked as he tried to kill the urge of hunger that is clouding his thoughts.

Taking another deep breath, he tried to keep his raging testosterone under control. He started to think of other thoughts and how long the night will be with this sweet torture.

Her scent covered his senses triggering something deep and primitive in him. He cursed under his breath, shifting to ease the sudden tightening of his belly.

She stirred and he faced her. Studying her face inch by inch and appreciating how perfect she looks, how his body reacts to her mere touch-- even her smell and smile can drive him crazy.

Then something inside him seem to hit him hard. Hard enough to realize that the woman in his arms will definitely be the death of him.