The husband swap has been an interesting experiment, and I am very glad we decided to actually do it instead of leaving it as one of those ideas we kept talking about over drinks.

I sent Ben away for the week. He deserved a little vacation of his own, and he had been wanting to take a trip with some friends for a while. With the kids away at camps, it also meant I had the house to myself, which was perfect for this experiment. No Ben quietly stepping in when something needed doing. No familiar service routine. For six days, I would rely entirely on two men trained by other women.

I had “S” for the first part of the week. He arrived Monday looking eager and just nervous enough to be adorable. His wife had clearly prepared him well. He brought his things inside, presented himself properly, and immediately asked what I required of him. I deliberately gave him very little guidance at first because I wanted to see what he would notice on his own.

He noticed plenty. Coffee appeared without my asking. The kitchen was cleaned immediately after meals. Towels were replaced. My car mysteriously had a full tank of gas by Tuesday afternoon. He even noticed a loose cabinet handle that I had been ignoring for months and fixed it. His training is very much centered on anticipation, and I liked that.

There were differences, though. He has habits that clearly come from serving his wife. Twice I caught him doing something a particular way simply because that was how “she likes it.” I reminded him that she wasn’t the woman he was serving this week. Watching that realization cross his face was fun. By Wednesday, he had stopped relying on her rules and started paying attention to mine.

Then came “R.” Completely different man.

R was quieter and much more formal. He waited for instructions instead of anticipating them, but once I gave an order, it was done precisely. I tested that quite a bit. Cooking, laundry, errands, some tedious organizing I had been putting off, and plenty of personal service. He never complained, although by Saturday I could tell I had thoroughly worn him out.

Both men were eager to please. Both were nervous at first. Both were obviously well trained. What fascinated me was seeing how much of their wives I could recognize in their behavior. We shape these men more than I think any of us realized.

There was also something deliciously strange about waking up and finding another woman’s husband making my breakfast, then sitting down knowing my own husband was somewhere else doing the same thing for one of my friends.

And yes, the arrangement included more intimate service too. We had discussed that possibility beforehand, established everyone’s boundaries, and left each household to decide how far it wanted to take things. I’ll simply say that neither temporary husband disappointed me.

But tomorrow Cody comes home.

As much fun as I’ve had experimenting with borrowed husbands, I am ready for mine. I’m curious to hear what the other women have to say about him, what they taught him, what he learned about himself, and whether they discovered any buttons I haven’t been pushing often enough.

Most importantly, I’m looking forward to having my husband back in my bed. Borrowing can be fun. Ownership is better.