Kim switched lanes and decelerated quickly while her eyes searched for some sign to indicate which exit she was approaching. She hated driving in Jersey and avoided it whenever possible. Between convoluted roads, a state government that was too idiotic to place road signs and drivers who got their licenses from a cereal box she always ended up frazzled by the time she got where she was going. Her job required her to travel, but for the most part she only had to brave the rude drivers in New York. At least they knew how to mark exits in her adopted home state while here she was forced to go on a wing and a prayer most of the time.
She switched back into traffic and the big SUV accelerated smoothly. Kim flipped on the console light and leafed through the three-page print out from the computer. Thank god for the Internet, she though as she read through the step-by-step instructions. She slowed again at the next exit and finally found a sign that she could read, the exit number was wrong, but she could see the tall hotel already so she tossed her instructions into the passenger seat and exited. It still took her twenty minutes to get to the hotel, but she finally found her way into the parking lot. Snow was piled into miniature mountains and it took her a few minutes to find a space where the plows had been. The parking lot was full of cars with New York plates, many she recognized as friends and co-workers from her facility.
Kim grabbed both of her bags and climbed out of the big SUV. She was thankful that she had managed to get a room for the night, the annual party usually lasted well into the morning and she did not want to have to make the three-hour drive back home. She was also able to wear warm clothes on the drive down rather than her party dress. As she walked out of the lot the cold wind whipped and swirled around her and she was thankful for the thermals and her heavy coat. Her boots made scrunching sounds as she trudged through the knee-deep snow towards the hotel lobby. By the time she entered the sliding glass doors she felt like a Popsicle.
The lobby was filled people who were milling around or sitting in the comfortable chairs near the giant fireplace. The women wore everything from beautiful formal gowns to dresses that would have been more appropriate to a Manhattan strip club. Some of the men wore suits, but the vast majority wore jeans and button down shirts. Kim reached the front desk and handed the clerk her reservation, id and credit card. With her union discount the room was under 100$ for the night. The woman behind the counter gave her the room key and a small brochure with all of the hotel's amenities listed on it. Kim headed towards the elevators greeting friends as she went.
Kim rode the glass elevator up, watching the snow covered ground fall away beneath her. In the distance she could see the lights of the George Washington Bridge. Somewhere across that bridge her husband Burt was probably just now getting dressed to go to his company's office party. Burt was a successful lawyer and his firm always held their office party in a swank hotel in the city. Kim worked for the state and was never comfortable around his ritzy friends, she was much happier among the working class members of her union.
Seven years of marriage and two children had slowly killed their passion for one another. She woke up one day to realize her mother had been right, they really had nothing in common. The fact that they were going to be apart this new years, each with their friends caused her not an inconsiderable amount of anxiety. Burt seemed unaware of her restlessness and it only served to fire her growing anger and feeling that he simply took her for granted and paid her no mind most of the time. Arguments had become a daily occurrence with him and he had grown ever more distant over the last year. Time and again she had tried to spice up their love life and each failure to capture his interest became another blow to her self-esteem.
The elevator glided to a halt and Kim stepped off onto the 15th floor landing. It was beautifully decorated in marble tile and red carpets. Several tasteful landscapes in gilt frames were hung along the hallways that led off in opposite directions from the lobby. Kim found 1517 and slipped her key into the electronic lock. When the little light flashed green she opened the door and stepped in, carefully closing it behind her.
The room was beautiful and almost too tasteful for her liking. A chestnut armoire held a large television and game console with built in VCR. The queen bed had a soft green comforter that complimented the deeper green of the carpet and walls. A writing desk and comfortable looking recliner sat in front of the large plate glass window that made up one entire wall of the room. The view was magnificent, if you liked parking lots and air conditioners. What did you expect for a hundred bucks? she asked herself.
Nightstands on either side of the bed held lamps and writing pads along with a room service menu and phone book. On the table next to the recliner she found a bucket for ice and four glasses with paper tops. Kim sat her bags down and opened the door to the bathroom. It was finished in faux marble tile and beige walls with gilt molding. The tub was huge and she looked at it longingly, for the chill of the night was still on her.
Kim turned the brass handles and watched for a moment as steaming water began to fill the tub. She unwrapped one of the red bath beads and tossed it into the hot water before going to unpack. Kim carefully hung up the black dress she intended to wear and tossed her underwear and the clothes she planned to wear on the drive home into the middle drawer of the armoire. She carried her makeup bag and bathroom bag into the bathroom with a smile on her pretty face.
The small room was already full of steam and the delicious aroma of strawberries. Kim killed the water and retrieved her bath gel, squishy and shampoo from her bag and set them on the edge of the tub along with her razor and shaving cream. Kim eyed the luxurious bubbles with an expression that bordered on euphoria. She loved a hot bath and actually kept her health club membership for the Jacuzzi more than anything else. Something about the total relaxation of soaking in a hot bath always turned her on and made her feel sexy and refreshed.
Kim sat on the toilet and quickly pulled off her heavy boots and wool socks. The floor was damp and warm and felt good on her stiff feet. She pulled off the fleece top and thermal undershirt at once and peeled off the tight jeans she wore. Next her panties and thermal bottoms hit the floor and lastly her bra. The mirror was covered in steam so she didn't even have to look at her reflection before she turned back to the inviting tub.
The water was so hot it felt like her feet were on fire but she quickly squatted and sat down heavily. Her butt and lower back immediately began to itch from the hot water but she gripped the side of the tub and slowly laid back. As the warm water covered her body she felt the pins and needles sensation that preceded the deep relaxation she knew was coming. She felt the tension, the frustration of the drive down, and the remnants of the bone chilling cold melt away leaving her feeling utterly limp and content.
Kim soaked for over an hour until the water was only luke warm. She then lathered up her legs and carefully shaved them. Kim's legs were long and still muscular from her years of playing volleyball and since she planned on wearing stockings she wanted them to be as smooth as possible. Once done she let the water out of the tub and turned on the shower. Under the hot spray she shampooed her hair and thoroughly rinsed it before shaving her pits and washing herself once more with the bath cloth and soap the hotel provided.
She dried herself briskly before wrapping a towel around herself and another around her long dark hair. She walked out and layback on the bed, utterly relaxed and almost fell asleep right there. Unbidden the memory of the argument with her husband came back to her mind. He was so stubborn, insisting she come to his office party even when she tried to explain she would only be miserable there. When she flatly refused to give in to his cajoling he got all huffy and stormed out of the house. Twice during the day she almost called him at work and relented, but some spark had been touched off in her and she managed not to give in. She checked her cell phone and frowned, he had not even called to make sure she had arrived safely. For a reason she couldn't put her finger on that pissed her off even more. She thought of the papers she had asked her lawyer to draw up. How many times in the past year had she started the process only to chicken out? So many that she suspected Becky no longer even started the process when she called.
