Calliope’s innocent question still froze Calix, causing his brain to short-circuit. Unable to co up with a better reply, he continued staring stiffly at the little munchkin’s round eyes.
Calliope’s facial features were half clear in the dimness of the room. But, the look of anticipation in her eyes was too apparent to be ignored.
Calix couldn’t help but think he would make Calliope sad if he abruptly rejected her. Even having the thought of it punched him in the gut.
Nooo!
He didn’t want to break his daughter’s heart ah.
But...
Giving Leslie a good night kiss?!
Sweat broke on Calix’s back despite having a good air-conditioning system. The room was not affected by the sumr heat at all. He was the only one sweating here.
What to do?
What should he do?
But...
The idea was so tempting ah.
The most they had done was kind of hugging each other. Yet, the action didn’t co out of love. The reason was due to her lack of physical strength.
Should he just...
"Poppy... aren’t you sleepy yet?"
Leslie’s voice pulled Calix out of his trance. She gently poked Calliope’s nose, inciting giggles from the little one.
"Hehe, Mama, Poppy not sleepy yet," replied the little one truthfully, tightly hugging Mimo in her arms. She sweetly returned her mother’s smile.
"You have to sleep ah... What if you got sleepy when... we’re shopping tomorrow?"
Leslie’s words made Calliope laugh more. The echo of her giggles resonated in the quiet room, reaching the statue-like man.
"Okay~ Poppy will sleep Don’t want to feel sleepy tomorrow."
Calliope glanced at Calix, wondering why her papa hadn’t moved at all. Humming, she said, "Guess Papa is shy ah. Okay, no need to good night kiss Mama with Poppy here~ Good night, Mama and Papa."
Calliope’s words amused Leslie while Calix was still frozen. Relief and disappointnt clashed within him because the little one retracted her request.
"Hehe, good night, my darling..."
Leslie gave Calliope another kiss on her chubby cheeks, left and right. The little munchkin squird on the bed, still laughing. She pressed her small face on the back of Mimo’s head, trying to tone down her giggles.
Lifting her gaze from Calliope, Leslie looked at Calix whose posture remained unchanged. Despite feeling sorry for the man, she couldn’t resist her desire to tease him.
"Why do you look like... that ah?"
"...I will sleep."
Calix abruptly lay on the bed, pretending to look away from Leslie’s peering gaze. Closing his eyes tightly, he could hear faint giggles coming from her.
Ahhh! He must have looked so freaking awkward!
Should he bury his head in a hole sowhere?
Nah, he shouldn’t do that. The best choice was feigning ignorance.
Sensing the intense heat on his cheeks continued to flare, Calix pretended to sleep. He unconsciously tightened his grasp on the blanket, the veins popping on the back of his hands.
As her eyes remained on Calix’s side profile, Leslie pursed her lips. She felt bad for teasing him but, seeing the man flustered amused her.
’Hehe, I better stop ah lest he runs away in fear.’
Peeling her eyes away from Calix, Leslie glanced at Calliope. To her surprise, the little dumpling had fallen asleep despite insisting she was not sleepy yet.
’She must have been so tired.’
So many things happened today. Even if Calliope claid she was still full of energy, her small body couldn’t handle the hectic of moving from the orphanage to this manor.
Leslie closed her eyes as she cradled Calliope in her arms. She missed the feeling of hugging her little daughter while sleeping. The child’s sweet scent helped to calm her heart.
’Sleep well, my darling. Mama is here.’
Leslie sneaked a peek at Calix. Curling her lips, she also inwardly wished the man a good night. Shutting her eyes again, it didn’t take her long to enter her slumber.
As the mother and daughter slept peacefully, the father was still wide awake. All of his senses were on full alert.
’Have they slept?’
Still closing his eyes, Calix pretended to turn over to the other side, facing Calliope and Leslie. He slowly, ever slowly opened his eyes, wanting to look at his wife and daughter.
Yes. Both ladies were deep in their sleep.
’Haa...’
Calix refrained from sighing out loud, only doing so inwardly. He almost laughed as he recalled the awkward mont a few minutes ago, laughing at his own stupidity.
Calliope’s question stunned Calix but, he couldn’t deny it stirred his desire to exchange good night kisses with Leslie.
’She always sleeps easily even when with . Doesn’t she view as a man at all?’
Grumbling to himself, Calix inwardly voiced his frustration toward Leslie.
How could she not be chard by him at all ah?
Was it because she only thought of him as a friend? A platonic partner?
Was his face not handso enough to make her heart flutter?
Sigh...
’I’ve left the dating scene almost seven years ago ah. I think my skills are rusty now.’
Calix begrudgingly ca to the conclusion, thinking there was only one thing he could do – subtly flirting with Leslie for now. He might scare her off if he wooed her aggressively.
’Courtship. Yes, a gentle courtship.’
While persuading himself with the thought, Calix’s eyes fell on Leslie’s hand. She placed her palm above the blanket, right on Calliope’s body.
The little one nestled closer to her mother while hugging her crochet fox toy.
’Well, I wanna join too.’
Hesitating yet hopeful, Calix slowly put his palm above the back of Leslie’s hand. Her warmth seeped into his skin, causing him to smile shyly.
’Good night, my love and my buttercup.’
With a happy heart, Calix closed his eyes. The tranquility brought by Leslie and Calliope’s presence helped to ease his mind.
As the man eventually fell asleep, he didn’t notice an ethereal glimr cast a glow on all three of them. A ray floated from the crochet fox toy before it flew toward him and disappeared into his forehead.
The man slept peacefully, not knowing sothing would greet him in his dream soon.
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