Max eased herself into the soul saturating heat of her soaker tub, swirling the rose scented bubbles around her aching body. Laying back, she immersed her body fully, save for her face. She closed her eyes and let out a small moan of pleasure as she felt muscles start to loosen. She had gone hard at the gym, clinching a personal best for both squats and deadlifts.
Max lifted her left hand out of the tub and encircled the wineglass on the edge of the tub with her well-manicured fingers. She had earned this indulgence. She was proud of herself; Max had never been an athletic person until a few years ago when she joined a gym. She had started awkwardly with the usual runs on the treadmill and machine weights and had eventually developed enough confidence to tackle the free weights low and steady, she had gotten stronger. Her work outs now comprised of stairmaster and hill runs punctuated with powerlifting. Max looked down through the bubbles and glimpsed her thighs. Yes she was proud of how her body performed and of how it looked.
After draining her chianti she stood up and examined herself in the full length mirror. Her body was thick from her love of good food and wine and firm from her newfound passion for fitness. Not allowing herself to linger any longer she wrapped herself in a soft housecoat and started her nightly routine of creams and oils. Every inch of her flesh was left soft and hydrated. After all, her job involved looking after her clients skin, so she made sure she practiced what she preached.
As she sauntered dreamily into her bedroom, she realized her husband had come home. He stood with his back to the entrance removing his shirt. Max lifted a corner of her lips in an appreciative smile as she watched his unintentional strip show. He undid his belt and let his pants fall to the ground before turning and realizing he had an audience...
His expression, while slightly startled, was neutral and returned none of warmth Max had felt while watching him. Her heart sank.
"Hey, I didn't realize you were there," he said.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," she replied, no longer smiling. "How was your day? Were you guys busy?"
Geoff was a chef at a popular restaurant downtown.
"Ya," he winced, stretching his back. Max couldn't help but allow her eyes to caress his well defined legs. "You?" he asked as a courtesy.
"Was a good day. I hit a personal best at the gym," she said, allowing a little enthusiasm to enter her voice.
"Nice. Good for you," he replied, without any real interest.
He had already pulled out his phone and started his nightly ritual of scrolling through social media and sports highlights. He climbed into bed as she set about getting dressed.