[twizzle]

Nate escorted our guests into he kitchen, where Rachel sent me a look that conveyed she was just as curious as I was as to why they had decided to come over. Not that I minded, it just wasn’t like Brad to show up unannounced. Nate noticed the looked that passed between Rachel and I, and in his most innocent (and yet somehow unconvincing to me)voice, said..

"Oh, Amy. Did I forget to tell you I invited Brad and Rachel over for dinner tonight?"

(Yup, sure he "forgot". What was he up to?)

Since I had made enough to make sure there would be leftovers for the next day, I told him that it was alright. Rachel asked me if I had that sweater she asked to borrow, and seeing my perplexed look, she stressed,

"You know, the one I asked you for yesterday?", all the while, tilting her head in the direction of the stairs. I caught on that she wanted to talk to me and immediately jumped into the act.

"OH! THAT sweater." I said "Yeah, it's up in my closet. I’ll go get it."

"I’ll come with you" Rachel said "there’s a pair of shoes I wanted to borrow as well."

And with that, she and I went up to the bedroom. Just as I approached the top of the stairs, I was sure I heard Nate and Brad chuckling about something but Rachel was too far ahead of me to confirm it, so I put it out of my mind. Once in the room, Rachel flopped on the bed and rested her head on her crossed arms.

"Ok, what the heck is going on?" I asked. Rachel looked at me, sighed and said

"All I know is that Brad TOLD me we were coming over here tonight. I tried telling him I had other plans but he said I would have to cancel them."

Sitting up, she crossed the room and peeked into the closet.

"Well, I don’t know about you Rach, but I have a really bad feeling about this. I mean, we both know what's on the agenda tonight,"

Unconsciously, I reached back and placed one hand on my bottom,

"but why did Nate invite you guys here?"

"Well, I sure don’t know" Rachel said "maybe Nate changed his mind?"

I shook my head "No way. Nate has NEVER done that."

Deciding that we had been away from the guys long enough, Rachel and I went back down stairs. The guys were in the living room, and I noticed that Brad was sitting beside the chair where the belt was, and as I walked in, he smiled and “accidentally” brushed his foot against the belt.

I was starting to get an idea of what was going on now, but I could not believe that Nate would do something like that. I mean its one thing to be spanked in the privacy of your own home….but to have an audience? Maybe I was reading too much into things because I knew what was going to happen. Yeah, that had to be it.

Rachel went and plopped herself on the couch, curled her legs under her and started watching the TV while I went into the kitchen to get supper ready. Nate came in to help me and as we worked side by side, I worked up enough courage to ask Nate what was going on.

“What do you mean, sweetie?” he asked, as he chopped the lettuce for the salad.

“Well,” I said “normally, Brad doesn’t show up here unannounced and you always tell me ahead of time about dinner guests….”

I stopped there, suddenly realizing that Brad and Rachel WERE here for a reason….

“Oh Nate…you didn’t….you couldn’t have…..please say you didn’t tell Brad about tonight!” I whispered.

Nate looked at me, and I saw what I did not want to see before he even spoke…

“Of course I told him about tonight” he said, “how else would he know to come for dinner?”

That’s my Nate, I thought.

“You know what I’m talking about Nate, please don't joke now…..”

Nate dried his hands on the towel and took me in his arms. There was always something about having his arms around me, which made everything in the world right as rain. Placing a finger under my chin, he tilted my face up to his, kissed me softly on the lips and said,

“Yes, I told him about your punishment tonight. You have a champion defender where Brad is concerned…did you know that honey?”

I tried to follow what he was saying, but all I could see were those beautiful blue eyes….and then remember that I had caused disappointment to shine in them last night. Nate continued…

“He told me that you shouldn’t be punished again, tonight, for what happened since I had already spanked you last night. So, we decided that they would come to dinner and afterwards, I will pose a question to you.”

Well….that snapped me out of my fog, quickly!

“What question would that be Nate?” I asked

“You will just have to wait, little one” he said, then went to tell Brad and Rachel that dinner was ready.

OOOOO, I hate when he makes me wait!!

We all sat talking and laughing through the meal, Brad and Nate talking sports, Rachel trying to talk to me about the sale at the mall, but all I could think of was what the question could possibly be? I knew that once we were all settled from dinner, that’s when it would start.

Rachel poked me with her fork a few times to get my attention, and then she finally decided that I was pre occupied and joined in the conversation with the guys. I tried to eat as slowly as possible, hoping that once dinner was done, it would be late and they would have to leave….but as it turned out, Nate knew me better than I thought.

After an hour had passed, Nate announced that dinner was over by rising from the table and heading into the living room. Brad and Rachel quickly followed but I sat there for a few seconds longer. I tried to decide if I should clear the table right away or join them. Finally, I got up and went into the living room. The belt was still where it had been all day, but now Brad was sitting on the couch with Rachel, and Nate was sitting on the love seat.

I wandered over to the love seat and was about to sit down when Nate suddenly stood up, making me jerk my head around and losing my balance. Strong arms reached out and caught me before I fell, and I heard a giggle come from the direction of the couch. So, Rachel thought it was funny, did she? I thought. Nate turned to face Brad and Rachel and Brad stood up. Rachel stopped smiling by this time and looked at me to find out if I knew what was happening. I stood there like a statue, except for the butterflies in my stomach and my legs were a little wobbly.

Nate and Brad walked over to the chair and, taking a position on either side, looked like two sentries guarding the gate to the castle. Nate spoke first.

“Now, here's the scoop on what’s going on tonight.” He said
“Rachel, you know that Amy got punished last night for the little “prank” you two pulled.”

I looked over at Rachel. She was alternating looking at Nate then Brad then back again and nodding…not so funny now, is it? I thought.

“Ok, you also know that Amy had another punishment tonight, yes?”

Rachel only nodded again, unable, for the first time in her, life to speak up. I made a mental note to mark this historic night on the calendar.

“Good. Brad and I have been talking it over,” Nate said, pinning Rachel with that stare I knew only too well ” and we have decided that, since Amy has been punished once, and you have not….”

Rachel leapt to her feet (now that’s the Rachel I remember…) and stammered ”Na…Nate….I don't know wh…wh…what you are getting at…but I do not have to stand here and listen to it.” As she turned to leave, Brad spoke for the first time since we entered the living room.

“Rachel Marie…!” he snapped out “you will sit down and listen to every word!”

Rachel was startled, to say the least, and we all could see the indecision on her face. She looked to me and, finding no answer, looked to Nate, then to Brad. Then she surprised everyone in the room. She sat back down! Brad smiled. Nate smiled. I was just as confused as Rachel was but I didn`t want to bring any attention to myself just yet, so I said nothing. Nate continued…

”Now, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted…since Amy has been punished and you have not, Brad and I have decided to let Amy have a choice.”

The shock that registered on my face must have been comical, because both men chuckled. Then Nate came to me, and wrapped an arm about my shoulders. My feet felt like lead weights but when Nate started to draw me away from the loveseat and over to the chair, I did the best I could to keep from appearing like I was resisting. We stopped in front of the chair and Nate turned us both, so that we were facing Rachel.

“Amy, “he said “I told you earlier that a question would be posed to you tonight, and you would have to make a decision.”

I could only nod.