Just Business [AndaLookkaew Fanfic] {ENG}

Chapter 12

Atlas was lounging on the hotel bed, idly flipping through channels on the TV. A rerun of an old sitcom filled the room with laughter and canned applause, but her attention was pulled away when her phone buzzed on the nightstand. Glancing over, she saw Noa's name flashing on the screen. Picking it up, she smiled and answered.

"Oh hey, Noa. What's up?"

"Hey, Las! Are you still in Pattaya?" Noa's cheerful voice rang through the phone.

Atlas sat up a little straighter. "Yeah, we are. Lovelyn and I are leaving tomorrow. Why do you ask?"

"Hey Atlasss," Paige's voice suddenly chimed in. "Noa put you on speaker, by the way," she added teasingly.

Atlas chuckled. "Oh, hi, Paige. How are you both doing?"

"We're great!" Paige replied. "We're actually in Pattaya too. How about a double date for dinner?"

Atlas hesitated, her eyes flicking toward the bathroom where Lovelyn was taking a bath. "I... I'll need to check with Lovelyn first. Can I text you once I know?"

"Of course, no problem," Noa replied. "Just make sure to tell her we miss her. We'd love to see her again."

Atlas nodded to herself. "I will. I'll get back to you later. Bye, guys!"

"Bye, Atlas!" they chorused in unison.

Ending the call, Atlas leaned back against the headboard, her mind turning. Paige and Noa had been their friends since middle school, but it had been a while since Lovelyn had seen them. Would she be comfortable with the idea? Atlas didn't want to push her into anything, especially when the trip had been about relaxing and reconnecting.

Shaking off her lingering thoughts, Atlas got up and made her way to the bathroom. Leaning casually against the doorframe, she took a moment to watch Lovelyn, who was soaking peacefully in the tub. The warm light from the bathroom cast a golden glow over her, and the serene expression on Lovelyn's face made Atlas smile to herself.

Knocking faintly against the wood, Atlas called out, "Hey, you doing good in there?"

Lovelyn's gaze met hers, a relaxed smile spreading across her face. "Yup. It's so relaxing. You should try it yourself."

"Should I?" Atlas's smirk deepened as she stepped closer to the tub and rolled her sleeves up. She knelt beside it, her fingers lightly grazing the edge as she looked at Lovelyn playfully. "How about I scrub your back for you?" she asked, her voice soft but teasing.

Lovelyn blinked, a faint blush creeping across her cheeks. "Oh... uh, sure," she stammered, clearly flustered by the offer.

Atlas chuckled warmly, reaching for the sponge and shower gel. She lathered the sponge, the scent of lavender filling the air, then leaned in gently. "Alright, lean forward a little," she murmured.

Lovelyn obeyed, her body sinking slightly into the water as she shifted. Atlas began to scrub her back with slow, deliberate movements, her touch firm but soothing. "You're all tense," Atlas commented, her fingers finding knots as she worked. "Let me fix that."

Lovelyn closed her eyes, letting out a small, contented sigh as Atlas's hands moved skillfully along her shoulders and upper back. "That feels amazing," she murmured.

"Good," Atlas said softly, her tone affectionate. "You deserve it."

For a while, neither of them spoke, the only sound in the room being the gentle sloshing of water as Atlas massaged Lovelyn's back. Her hands moved with care, her thumbs pressing into the tense spots she found, eliciting quiet hums of appreciation from Lovelyn.