Ghost Boyfriend Anthology.

#8 - Amatory.

With sweaty palms and a heart full of dread, Cortia walked down the dark hallway. The air was already thick with his flowery cologne he's never ever been able to change. She took a deep breath in, it seemed five years haven't still passed. She still had that medieval feelings for him and nothing ever changed.

Her heart was cutting up in shreds at all the memories. How dare him show his ruthlessly handsome face here. She was sure he was on a torture mission... His firm request which felt like a command to have her partake in the meeting proceedings told of that. Her forte wasn't in business and he knew it. She was a receptionist who in normal circumstances wasn't supposed to sit with the big bosses.

Instead of feeling elevated, depressed would seem a better word for it.

He was carefully crafting his way... Dangling his bait so she'd fall for him again not minding the fact that they'd called it quits ages ago and she knew she just might would. The swirling butterflies in her tummy made her angrier because it seemed she was the one who always fell first.

Well she'd show them.

Mostly him.

That Cortia had just the right knack to prove herself worthy of the occasion and shun all his charm.

Wearing an air of professional indifference with her pink lip gloss carefully serving as her weapon, she drew the glass doors apart, her eyes searching for the brute. He looked up at once at her face, and then slowly his glint of surprise turned to lust.

She felt he could read her in and out and it worried her.

Still she would push on.

"I trust that I'm not late," She stated calmly, carefully adding more bass in her voice to make it less chirpy. Her eyes roamed anywhere but his eyes. She felt that if she took just one short look into them her whole armor would fall apart.

"Not at all," his deep sonorous tone made her chest falter.

If he'd not ask her to sit then she'd definitely fall.

"Please sit," he gestured to a chair directly beside him. She'd be wrong to think he wasn't speaking to her. Seized with determination she bent her face down to Carlos. "Would you be kind enough to let me sit here. I don't want to be next to him in a room."  her eyes pleaded.

"Oh I get it you bickering sass," getting up abruptly, he made his way over towards her designated spot. She smiled at him victorious, gruesomely putting aside his hard stare.

Jerk. Please mouth say that out loud.

"Um.. sire as we were saying the stocks are rising which means there's more than enough chance for both our companies to partner up." oh so we're talking about merging. Thank the Lord Carlos filled me on that.

"Why should I partner with your company? I trust that Seychelles has just as much stuffs as we do and they're quick at delivering so what gives?" he paced about, his footsteps being the only clacking sound that filled the room. Anders face paled, making Cortia feel bad. He had waited weeks for this.

And so she rose to the occasion, filling in all the loopholes and challenging Octavio to give it a shot. Her points were good, her manner mundane and although everyone listened in a bawling awe, the indifference he wore proved that he wasn't convinced. 

"I can't just partner up with your company just because some medieval receptionist says so, spitfire." his tone were smug. She bit her bottom lip in anger staring down at him.

How dare him.

"And also not because you're all sitting down there professionally and having the required documents. I don't like this company." he said without missing a beat. Ander's face now was paler than frost and Cortia had the stinging wish to kick his fine butt.

"But sire.. "

"No buts" he practically pinched Howell to get up. The atmosphere was getting hotter and hotter despite the three lush air-conditioners that had been provided for the occasion. He sat down comfortably with his legs crossed. Her loafers which cost more than her own name gleamed brighter than diamonds.

"What have you got to say now, spitfire? Is my decision not just? Don't you feel impressed?" he thrust his face way forward into her face making her breath to hitch up in surprise. His face held smug as if he might lick her chin any second.

"You know you can change my mind. How about we go on a dinner date. Just you and me. I trust we'd come to a more substantial agreement there. Who knows you might get lucky and I'll let you rock me hard tonight."

She scrunched her nose in disgust at his much perverted words. Well anyway she'd been caught today, but in a bid to pull off that pale off Ander's face she'd be willing to do even the most vile thing.

"Deal,"

Cortia found herself adding way much blush to her already perfect cheeks. She shouldn't be looking beautiful for an ex she'd long gotten over, if there was anything then she should be adding looks of shade and smoky concealer to show him how really horrid she was.

At the entrance of your home. Be fast my love. O

Grumbling at the sickening dread she was having and cursing herself for falling way too hard, she walked out of the house. Her floral gown as curt as day. She had just purchased it for a ridiculous amount at The Stales. A seething payback for Octavio for thinking he was a smart fart. She'd show him.

"You look smut," his eyes bore all over her body searching. Plastering her fake smile, she gave him her hand as he led her to the passengers side. He wore an Armani with clean black loafers again. A varying color from the one he'd worn earlier.

"Let's get this over with already" She muttered, audible enough for him to hear. His reaction was instantaneous; chuckling like a mad dog, he shot back fondly. "I don't think you'll want it over after this. Would you?"

"I'll die if not," She threw her face the other way. Carlos had warned her earlier, even now his strings of text messages were still pouring in: saying she should stay home. He'd been with her since the beginning of her horrible relationship with the monster leading her now to his car and had noted just how cunning he could be to get what he wants, even to the point of kill.

"Where are we going?" She hated the chirp her voice conveyed. With the crisis in her guts she'd never been able to ask.

"Somewhere new to you. But still the same old place to me," he said fondly. His forearm moving steadily with the steering wheel. She remembered running her hands quite vividly on them, teasingly. Even now, as he drove she longed to prode his side and kiss him senseless.

"Spit it out you bog," her brows knotted in apprehension. He pulled over at Tiffany's and opened the door for her. She muffled her gasp, awkwardly tipping over but as usual he caught her smart. In all of Cortia's life she'd longed to come here.

"Surprised now are we? " he swung his hand around her arms giving her the hibi-gibbies . People strolling in and out stopped to look at them. Cortia felt her cheeks flushing in embarrassment. Who would've thought.

"You remembered,"  She muttered looking away as the tears fell. He'd been quick enough to lean forward and gently wipe them off. It had always been her wish back then to come here but with his busy schedule it hadn't been possible.

"Well of course I did. Come on now cheer up. Let's go inside."

The air within reeked of the purest vanilla and cinnamon rolls. Families sitting in chairs having lunch chatted. Business moguls talked over tea and croissants. Cortia's stomach churned in need as they went over to a vacant table.

"What would you like to eat," a striking male waiter beamed at her, his teeth without blemish. She felt Octavio's hand tighten around her wrist. Requesting for hot dogs, with peach juice and maple cake, she set her file open so they'd discuss.

Accurately fifty minutes later, both of them were exhausted. Their foods were gone and Octavio had been stubborn with his decision. Cortia used all the potholes she knew of but he still won't budge. Cortia knew she'd failed. He was a very stubborn man and she could helplessly do nothing to support the situation.

"I need more chocolate," he requested, his gaze directly on her. She eyed him oddly. "You just had two wraps and why tell me? The waiters are still around."

"Please my love," he drawled, his hands prodded her thighs. Snapping up in alarm at what he was about to do, she made her way carefully to the counters, ignoring the sea of dirty looks directed at her.

With the waiter being so slow, she didn't notice that the hall had gone quiet. People spoke in hushed tones and it seemed to be pulling her ears off. Turning around viciously and with the sordid aim to render a horrendous version of Maroon 5's girls like you, she stopped dead at the one kneeled figure of Octavio on the floor thrusting out the most brightest diamond ring towards her.

"Would you do me the utmost honour of becoming my wife, Cortia Hampshire?"

--------

Cortia stared in awe and shock at the very man who knelt before her. His ever blue cold eyes were softer and held warmth. She'd thought she'd gotten over him. They had called it quits with words but apparently not with hearts.

"I don't know what to say,"  She answered truthfully. Her eyes brimmed with tears of joy and happiness but also of embarrassment at the onlookers who watched them with such a burning intensity. She couldn't turn him down... Not after all these. She had thought so wrong of him and that feeling of guilt clawed at her intestines.

"You could start by saying yes," his eyes glistened with hope. There was an uncomfortable silence after her chuckle. A pin would make a sound so great when thrown on the floor.

"Well... " She trailed. She'd often dreamed of how her fairy-tale would be, how she'd be proposed to. She had never even in the wildest of dreams hoped it'd be like this. She felt grateful, happy even. Not minding he was her ex and would soon be her business partner.

"It's just too much,"

I can't believe it'd be like this. I didn't know it'd be... You," She took his hand and lifted him off the floor. "I know this might sound biased but I'm not the right one for you. You deserve way much more and I'm not that great in commitment."

His bedazzling face fell. Closing the minute box which housed the ring with a clamp he stared down at her. "I believe I do know just what's good enough for me, and I'll not rest until I have you."

She knew he meant exactly that. Octavio was one who'd never rest or give up on something once his mind was fully made up. She loathed this because it made him headstrong.

"I know, but I still won't marry you. I need to think well before I agree. It's a life long commitment and I've behaved so ungratefully in the past, doubting your true intentions. I'm not so sure I want to embark on that right now. I trust you understand?"

"How many more men do you have to allow in between your legs before you agree to take me?" his words stabbed at her back. Draining her of all her energy. He insulted her. In Tiffany of all places.

"You'd not speak like that to me," She thrusted the middle finger into his face, her heart shattering at his outrageous insult. Picking her denim purse skimpily she brushed past him, brushing the tears away. He would have held her, have apologized but he didn't. He just watched her leave.

*-*-*-*

"Serves you right,"

Cortia lay in a lazy heap on the comfy futon, unable to pull off her gown or do anything at all. Her first bright idea had been to call up Carlos and narrate everything to him.

"But we lost. I couldn't still help out when I promised. I wonder how Sir Anders would feel if he finds out this."

"Well you can't risk your life with that crazed lunatic, Anders himself won't appreciate even. And the company can just get another merger deal in a whiff so be yourself," She didn't feel sure anymore. Somehow she'd wished it was Octavio who they were merging with.

"I guess this is the end of the road for us both." She hated the thin of her once chirpy voice.

"It's about time, boy... I was getting tired of the Octavio former ex business already. Now we'd see some new faces and go back to how life once was," if she wasn't wrong, Carlos was practically jumping right now. If he'd noticed her depressed tone he'd chosen to ignore it.

"I'm not happy," She whispered truthfully. There was an awkward silence from the other end and she began wondering if he'd heard her at all. "Carlos are you there?"

"Crystal," he smacked his lips. Gum. She moved to the kitchen and turned the microwave off. The lasagna was already preheated and turning it into a plate, she took a bite.

"But you're a fool to feel that way. Where was he when the centre of your existence was crumbling? Where was he when you cried endlessly in that goddamn cemetery?"

"I get it Carl. But things are different now. I hopelessly feel attracted to him, though he acted like a jerk before."

"Hear yourself? This was exactly what I'd thought you'd do in the beginning. Girls do fall hard don't they?"

"I couldn't help it," She hated his accusing tone. As if it was forbidden to fall in love. Well his story wasn't something that needed to be dwelt upon. "You believe in love don't you?"

"Bah...Vile word, Cruel thing," he rattled on. She had almost half of her plate gone and still she felt heavy.

"So what about Jay huh?" She mischievously chirped. Carlos grew cold instantly. He had this medieval strong crush on an office clerk. The duo had a serious relationship going on.

"Leave him outta this,"

"Oh well I will. Jay do you want some lasagna? Yes I'm filled and yeah I'd like to go over to the movies with you. Sure, Carlos would understand." She said all in one breath.

"Wait... Jay's there with you? Where are you? He promised.. "

"Calm your horses you jealous wreck," She laughed girlish. Boy, how good it felt to her in pranking the master of pranks.

"Phew. That joke was expensive" he said seriously. She knew well. Their friendship held nothing compared to his with Jay.

"So what are you advising?" She hummed imperiously. Carlos would be forgiving, he'd offer something substantial.

"Try visiting for a change," vicious knocks attacked her door. Without thinking twice she drew it open.

"Octavio?"

Blossoming roses littered the porch, forming a trail to the car where he currently stood with his hand on the open door. Her heart which was held in loose ends began forming back. He still had that soul melting effect on her after all these years.

"I know you find me obstinate but I really want us to catch up to all we've missed. We may have a horrible past together, have gone through probably a lot but I'd want you to be mine. Mine for life. I want to always wake up to your sweet face every morning. Want to hold you close and kiss your breath away every time. I want to have tons of babies with you and go on vacations, road trip, our kid's talent shows and beach. I want to do all of those but we can't really start if we don't go through this first. I want to take things slow until your mind is made up. That's until I win your heart and love all over again . I won't rest until I do so because you're the one I think of each day. Bestow on me the honor of calling you mine."