It was the perfect day for a swim in the backyard pool of Penny and Paul Wilson. He and his wife Penny had just finished a few laps and were stretched out in their lawn chairs, taking a well deserved rest. They had challenged each other, and since both Paul and Penny were quite competitive, they were still breathing hard.

Their relationship dated back to their High School days and they were as much in love now as then, except it was now the deeper love that comes with maturity. Paul stood about 6-1 and for a short time had been the quarterback of his college team. It didn't last, he had told his friend Ted, he threw too many interceptions, he had added. But it had been fun while it lasted.

Penny was almost the opposite in build, but with the wide shoulders of a swimmer. That made her waist appear even smaller. She was small enough to have to look up at Bill in a way that was like she was advertising how much she loved her man. Her blond pony tail added to her looking younger than she actually was.

One of her best assets, besides her body, was her permanent happiness. She appeared happy no matter what. Her nose crinkled slightly when she smiled her infectious smile. She had practiced the art of girlish giggles when she had found out that men loved to hear her giggle. Her best feature, however were her deep blue eyes that seemed to look right into your soul. There was a sparkle behind her pupils that held anyone captive.

"Hey, Dear, could I interest you to fix us a vodka martini on the rocks? She mumbled after a while.

When Paul returned he carried a pitcher and four glasses.

"Ted and Tracie will be here in a short while. She just called to warn me of their pending invasion," he announced as he set down the pitcher and the glasses on the pool side table.

Ted and Tracie were there best friends. The bonds ran deep. Ted and Paul had attended the same University, both loved football; even their tastes in music were the same and each played the clarinet. Added to that was the fact that both had married blond beauties. In fact, most people assumed that the girls were sisters, They looked so much alike that it was almost impossible to tell which was Tracie and which was Penny as one walked behind them .

"This proves that we have good taste in choosing our friends," Tracie laughed when they were handed their martinis.

After the usual small talk, Penny winked at Tracie, telling her with a slight movement of her head to follow her into the house. Once inside they settled into the cushions of the living room couch. It was obvious to Tracie that something was on her friend's mind.

"I am just dying to go to the masquerade party at the Club next Saturday, Don't you?" Penny blurted out. This was not a question, it was understood that both would go.

"You bet," answered Tracie. "I think, maybe we should wear he same outfit, our guys would have a tough time telling who they are dancing with."

"What an idea," laughed Penny. "I see a lot of possibilities for a bit of mischief here. For instance, one of us could flirt outragesly with the other guys, then we would switch and not even our hubbies would know if it was his wife or the other's wife. What do you think?"

'Hon, I think there are so many fun things we could do to keep the guys wondering if it was his wife acting like a slut, or being silly, or whatever , I am sure we can think up a few more before Saturday."

"Right now I want to see what the guys have in mind for tonight," interrupted Penny. "I'll just holler out the guest room window, that's right where they are sitting, probably talking football."

A minute passed and Tracie wondered why she didn't hear Penny talking to the fellows outside and followed her to the guest room. Penny put a finger to her lips when she felt her friend approaching. Standing in the dark room they listened to the guys' conversation.

"We could try it once, if we could talk the girls into agreeing." Ted said.

"I sort of flew a trial balloon once, but I got stopped before I could finish." answered Paul.

"I know what you mean, buddy. But I have an idea. Let me run it up the flagpole and see if you'll salute it. It's based on deception."

"Hey, I am good at that, remember, I played quarterback or a while. Let's hear it," interrupted Paul.

"OK. We act real drunk at the ball and we can't drive. So we take a taxi for here. We spike the girls' drinks all evening so they are sotted for real. We tell them we want to watch some football tapes. They want no part of that and mosey off to bed. You with me so far?"

"Go on; I think I see what's next."

"So the girls are asleep and after a while I take the guest room and you go to my bedroom. If we get up before the girls we are safe. If not, we tell them that we were so drunk that you fell into my bed and passed out. I couldn't even remember that we had a guest that night, I was so drunk. So I staggered to the guest room and fell in bed there," explained Ted.

I don't know if we can get away with that scheme, Ted," Paul wondered. "There may be hell to pay for a while, Ted."

"You are right, so we'll just have to take it on the chin. It'll be worth it. At least we taught them a lesson that men are still in charge in this life,"

At that point the two girls fled into the front living room and fell into the couch. They laughed so hard that tears rolled down their cheeks and their bellies ached. It was several minutes before they had themselves in control again.

"I had wondered a few times how good Ted is in bed," confided Penny." I am almost certain that you had similar ideas, right?"

"Naturally, I had. But the time was not right yet. Maybe now that you and I talked about it I might go along with it. Let's wait till Saturday, I might be brave enough then," answered Tracie.

When the two couples entered the ball room every guy there wondered who of the two was Tracie and who was Penny. The girls had made up their faces to look as close to each other as possible. They started at once with their little game, hugging and even kissing those they knew well. Paul and Ted looked at each other in amazement. They were so puzzled that they didn't even talk for a few minutes and just watched their wives' antics.

As the evening wore on the two girls gave their husbands a super show. They flirted, and danced, and even sat in some lucky guys' lap. They had a ball, surreptitiously watching their husbands. True, they had quite a few drinks, they fetched for themselves from the bar. Most of their vodka martinis on the rocks were plain water, however, decorated with an olive.

Abut eleven they meandered to the ladies room.

"Did you watch the guys squirming in their seats?" laughed Tracie. "I bet they are getting nervous watching us having fun with other guys, maybe even a bit jealous."

"Serves them right, trying to switch bedrooms tonight on the sly. But you know something, Tracie, I am having so much fun with other guys that I think switching our husbands once might be fun, too."

"I told you before that I wouldn't mind," answered her friend and I am glad you are starting too loosen up. Now let's get back to the dance floor and kick up heels."

While the girls were gone the two husbands kept worrying as to what their wives were up to now.

"You know, Paul, we wanted those girls get drunk, but behave like ladies, not like sluts. Any idea what we should do about this?" wondered Ted.

"The evening will be over soon," Paul replied. "I thought several times maybe we should step in and remind them that they were married ladies and not sluts. But that might create a scene and spoil the evening, so I figured we might as well sit and fume. We will get our revenge later."

About an hour after midnight the two guys couldn't stand it any longer.

"We better get those two drunken sluts home so we can play our little game. They are right were we wanted them, and they did it all by themselves. I watched them going for their martinis a bit too often," remarked Ted. "It looks like from now on the evening is ours. And I bet they really are turned on, the way they snuggled, and danced, and were hanging around those guys' necks."

Ted called a cab and went to collect the ladies.

"It's time to go home, girls. I had a few too many, and Paul too, and we can't and we don't want to drive, so I called a cab. It'll be here any minute." He was surprised how well he could imitate the slurring talk of a drunk. "Paul wants us to stay overnight and I agreed, I can't drive home, either."

As they arrived the girls followed their husbands two steps behind, walking up the driveway to the house, all the way whispering to each other and giggling.

"I think I want to watch a few of the football tapes we talked about,"" declared Paul while fumbling drunkenly with the house key.

"Me too, buddy," Ted chimed in. on cue.

"You two are nuts," was Tracie's short comment.

"DUH, DUH", added Penny to that." I am going to bed as soon as he finds the keyhole."

Once inside the ladies disappeared immediately leaving the guys in the living room.

"Buddy, this was so easy, they played right into our hand. Let's wait a bit and then we go to our targets and have some fun," whispered Paul, slapping Ted's back.

The girls woke before the guys. Penny was the first to arrive in the kitchen. When Tracie joined her ten minutes later they laughed so hard that they needed several Kleenex to dry their tears.

"How was your night, Penny?" Did you have a good time with your guy? Penny wanted to know.

"I had more fun than I had in a bed room for a long time. He was trying so hard to show me how great a lover he is. Why would switch partners make such a difference I wonder?"

"Monkeys have different partners, so maybe it's an atavistic trait dating back many millions of years, meaning that men haven't evolved as far as we women have, What do you think?"

Both women had a laughing fit that made them reach for the Kleenex box again to wipe off their tears.

Later, sitting in the living room after breakfast, Penny turned to her husband.

"How was your night, Dear? Did you enjoy you partner?"

That question shocked him, he wondered if the girls had found out about their deception scheme. His answer was a second late and his voice was just a bit strained.

'Why do you ask?" was all that he could manage.

"Well, some time back you asked me how I would feel about exchanging partners with our friends. So last night we girls decided to give you guys a special treat and switched bedrooms."