Sophia’s POV
“Good morning,” he replies with a warm smile that sends my heart aflutter.
I try my best to focus on the conversation at hand, but it’s hard not to get lost in the delicious distraction of his shirtless allure. I mean, how on earth am I supposed to maintain my composure with a Greek god standing right in front of me?
He chuckles softly, seemingly aware of the effect he has on me. “Enjoying the view?” he teases, raising an eyebrow playfully.
My cheeks turn even redder, and I quickly try to deny it, “Oh, um, it’s not that big of a deal. I just… happened to notice.” I mentally cringe at how unconvincing I sound, feeling like a character straight out of a cliche romance story.
He flashes a mischievous grin, clearly enjoying my embarrassment. “Come on, don’t be shy,” he says, stepping a bit closer. “I know I’m not bad to look at.”
My heart races as his proximity intensifies the butterflies in my stomach. Trying to keep my composure, I retort, “Oh, please. You’re not that great.”
He feigns offense, dramatically placing a hand over his heart. “Ouch, that hurts,” he says with mock hurt, making me giggle despite myself. Then, he gives me a wink. “Why don’t you give it a try and see for yourself?”
I flush at his obvious flirtatious attempts and glare at him. “Pervert…”
He laughs at this and is about to reply when the door to the bedroom opens, and Daisy and Daniel step out, rubbing their sleepy eyes. Daisy, with her messy hair and sleepy smile, looks utterly adorable. Daniel, on the other hand, has a slight frown on his face, clearly not a fan of being woken up.
Alexander moves towards them, giving me a moment to compose myself. “Morning, my little sleepyheads,” he says, ruffling their hair affectionately.
“Daddy!” Daisy exclaims, throwing her arms around his waist.
“Good morning,” I greet them with a smile, glad to see them awake and well.
Daniel yawns, rubbing his eyes again. “Morning,” he mumbles, still half-asleep.
“Why don’t you wash up first?” I offer, seeing how the kids still look sleepy.
Alexander nods. “Thank you.”
“It’s no problem,” I respond as I step forward. “I’ll help you bathe Daisy.”
He nods in response, and we’re about to go get that done when Daisy suddenly pipes up with innocent curiosity. “Auntie Sophia, what’s a pervert?”
Both Alexander and I are taken aback by her question, exchanging a brief glance of surprise. “Where did you hear that word, Daisy?” Alexander asks, concern in his voice.
Daisy thinks for a moment before replying, “Well, Auntie Sophia said it just now.”
My eyes widen in shock, and I can feel my face burning with embarrassment. I didn’t
Realize she could hear me, and now I have no idea how to explain myself to a young child.
Alexander turns to look at me with a smirk on his face, clearly amused by my predicament. I want to smack him on the head for laughing at me, but I hold back, not wanting to make a scene in front of the kids.
Probably seeing that we’re not replying, she pouts and accuses, “You don’t want to play with me.”
Alexander quickly squats in front of her and rubs her hair. “Why do you think so, princess? Of course, we want to play with you.”
Crossing her arms, she huffs, “Because you and Auntie Sophia are just playing together secretly, and you won’t tell me what you’re up to!”
Alexander raises an eyebrow and glances at me. He is about to respond when Daniel clicks his tongue and says, “Why don’t you mind your business? Do you have to play everytime?”
Daisy looks rather offended by his words and glares at him as she tries to turn to him and retort, but Alexander doesn’t give her a chance as he palms her face.
“My little princess is cute and adorable, who wouldn’t want to play with you?”
I kneel down to Daisy’s eye level, trying to find the right words to explain. “Daisy, ‘pervert’ is not a very nice word to use, especially for kids like you. It’s something that grown-ups sometimes use to describe someone who behaves inappropriately or looks at things they shouldn’t be looking at. It’s not a word we use in polite conversation, okay?”
Daisy looks at me with wide eyes, seemingly processing the information. “Oh, I see. Sorry, Auntie Sophia,” she says, her innocence shining through, and I can’t help but smile.
“It’s alright, Daisy. Just remember not to use that word, okay? Now, let’s get you ready for the day,” I say, hoping that she won’t ask more questions.