Page 28 of Loved By You

She turns around, so her back is to me and points her little finger in the air.

“Hit it.”

I let out a little chuckle and hit the button and get the shock of my life when “It's in His Kiss” booms from the speaker. Jumping, I fumble in a blind panic, trying to find the volume button on the remote.

I don't move for two and a half minutes, watching this little four-year-old spin around and give the performance of her life. Pointing her finger and doing a little scoop and sway to the “Shoop Shoop” part.

Just as Lexi is belting out the final bars, Ria opens the living room door.

“Yessssss, well done. Encore encore,” I whisper shout, as I give her a standing ovation, clapping softly, conscious the baby is asleep.

Lexi takes a bow. “Okay, hit it again.”

“Noooo,” Ria shouts over us. “No encore, Lex. What have I told you about that song?”

“But you play it, Mommy. I like the Shoop Shoop bit.” Lexi starts swaying again and I have to press my lips together to prevent a laugh from escaping.

“Okay, that's enough,” Ria announces, rubbing her hands over her face in exasperation. “Lex, go get your stuffies and blanket and I’ll get the movie on.”

Lexi huffs and sulks out of the room.

Ria laughs, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Dear God, what is wrong with her? I’m sorry. She likes to perform but refuses to sing along to anything age-appropriate.”

“Don't apologize, smile. She's great and a lot like someone else I know.” I wink, making her cheeks pinken. “So Cher?” I say with a smirk. “Didn’t have you down as a fan.”

She bends down and starts picking up the dolls and placing them in the box.

“She’s my guilty pleasure along with a few others,”

I kneel down to give her a hand.

“Why doesn’t that surprise me? Me and Noah used to hear you wailing and moaning along to your record player in your room when you were a kid.”

“Shut up,” she squeals, giving me a playful tap to the chest. My body tingles at the contact. “I did not moan.”

I lean in a little closer, focusing my eyes on hers and lowering my voice. “Oh, you did, but don't be embarrassed, sweetheart, I enjoyed hearing your moans.”

She smirks, avoiding my eyes and she looks down at the floor. My dick twitches at the sight of her tongue running along her bottom lip and the idea of her moaning my name.

Yeah, this whole ‘let's be friends’ thing is going well.

She heads out towards the kitchen, and I follow. Stopping at the bottom of the staircase, she calls softly “Lex, movie time.”

She turns, not expecting me to be so close behind, and her chest bumps with mine. She clears her throat, squaring her shoulders and looking up at me.

“Well, I hope you are in the mood for Cinderella.”

“Always,” I say with a grin.

I help Ria pop some corn and put some M&M's into a bowl and we make our way back to the front room. Lexi is already set up with her blanket and her pink bunny on the couch. She wasn't joking about Lexi and M&M's; she inhaled them in under ten seconds and she looked like a hamster who had overfilled its cheeks.

“Hey, leave some of those for Mommy, they are mine too,” Ria whines.

Lexi shakes her head from side to side, unable to speak.

“Lexi, spit them out now you will choke,” Ria demands, taking a bowl and squeezing her cheeks until out fly half-eaten sweets.

I clearly didn't hide the horrified look on my face well because Ria snorts a laugh. “You still sure you want to stay?”

---