Dance With Me (Norminah & Camren)

Chapter 29: Tell Her

A/N: I SAW DINAH IN CONCERT! She was so much fun and sooooo gorgeous in person! *sigh* I want her to come back to meee!

Dinah's POV

Normani and I simultaneously kissed Ryder on the cheek as a part of our goodnight tradition. "Good night, Ry. I love you," Normani said as I said, "I love you, baby. Sweet dreams."

My daughter blinked sleepily at both of us, before saying, "I love you guys too, but can I ask you a question that I've been thinking about a lot?"

"Do we really have a choice?" I asked, exchanging an amused glance with Normani.

"I guess not cuz I'm gonna ask it anyway," Ryder said, her eyes half-closed, "You two always say I love you to me, but never to each other. Why? Don't you love each other?"

I blushed deeply, but Normani just laughed it off and said, "Of course, we love each other. Is that all you want? For everyone to say 'I love you' to everyone before we sleep?"

"Mhm..." Ryder hummed sleepily.

"In that case..." my dance partner leaned over my daughter to kiss me on the nose playfully and said, "I love you, Dinah."

Goosebumps erupted all over my body at her gesture. I knew she was just indulging my daughter, but that didn't stop my cheeks from burning hot at her words.

"Mommy, your turn," Ryder commanded.

Normani raised her eyebrows at me and teasingly added, "Yeah Dinah, your turn to tell me how much you love me."

I rolled my eyes playfully at her, but as I spoke, I looked directly into her beautiful dark brown eyes and with the utmost sincerity said, "I love you, Mani..."

....more than you'll ever know.

"Good night..." Normani said, her voice relatively softer.

Was it my imagination or was she blushing too?

The next morning, I vaguely registered Ryder waking up and running off to watch cartoons. But I didn't bother getting up after her because it was the weekend, which meant that I could sleep in and let the little brat do whatever she wanted. The next time I woke up, I noticed that both Normani and I had inched closer to fill Ryder's vacated spot in the middle. Usually Normani woke up before me, but today, she was snuggled tightly against her blanket, fast asleep.

I loved waking up next to her. Even when she slept, she looked so beautiful. Her chest rising and falling rhythmically. Her eyes gently shut. Her skin glowing. Her hair cascading neatly on the pillow. Before I realized what I was doing, my hand was gently caressing her cheek.

Normani stirred at my touch and opened her eyes, looking confused. "What'd you want?" she asked, half-sleepy, half-grumpy.

I quickly pulled my hand away, and panicking, I blurted out, "You're snoring so loud."

"Shut up. I don't snore," she mumbled grouchily, closing her eyes again.

Smirking mischievously, I goaded, "Mani, you snore."

Normani opened her eyes to glare at me in sleepy annoyance and said, "I know I don't snore."

"You snore so loud that it sounds like a jet taking off."

"Stop! That's Ryder! Not me!"

"Nope, it's you! I checked!"

"You snore!"

"You snore louder!"

"No, I don't!" Normani whined, whacking me in the chest with the back of her hand.