"I didn't do anything wrong for our marriage, but I let my guard down once, and Tim saw me do it. It was a charity event put on by the company he works for, a formal affair to benefit local groups."

"Are you talking about the Black and White Ball? I was there." John cocked his head in curiosity.

"Yes. It's wonderful, isn't it? Everyone dresses up. The women are beautiful, the men are handsome, and the atmosphere is so welcoming." Eve brightened slightly as the memory warmed her.

John nodded his agreement. He'd been there with Mack and Mary McDonald. A couple he'd helped the year before. They'd become good friends.

"I had one drink more than I should've, and I let my guard down. A work friend of Tim's asked him if he could dance with me. Tim looked at me. The mood was good; I was happy. His name was Rick, and he'd been a good conversationalist, so why not enjoy a dance? Tim doesn't dance, so I said okay.

"One drink too many, John. That was the problem. It was a slow dance. Rick is a tall man, taller than Tim, athletic build, handsome in his tux, and he had the softest way of holding me. I melted into his arms. I felt warm, comfortable, and protected. By the end of the dance, I was snuggled into Rick's body as if we were lovers. When the dance ended, I was mortified at what I'd done. I apologized to Rick for my behavior and ran off the dance floor.

"Tim saw it all. I was so ashamed. I made him take me home. We didn't speak until we were in bed. I couldn't believe my behavior. I told Tim how sorry I was. Tim said he was not upset. I asked what he was going to do about Rick on Monday. He shrugged. I apologized several more times, and then I had guilty sex with Tim. Twice.

"In the morning, Tim wanted more sex. I had guilty sex again. When we went to bed that next night, he told me how aroused, he was when I was in Rick's arms. I was still embarrassed and told him so. Tim said I shouldn't be sorry. Said he wasn't going to say anything to Rick unless Rick brought it up. I asked What if he does? Tim teased me and said he might thank him. We had sex again. Since that night, Tim has been shoving this hotwife and wife-sharing fantasy at me non-stop.

Eve paused, and her anger returned full force.

"I'm sick of it! Just sick of it! I wish I'd never had that last drink and never had that dance!"

Eve was angry again. John chose to talk while she cooled down.

"Before I approached you in the bar, I saw your wedding ring. I also saw your distress. You were flicking your wedding ring with your thumbnail as if you wanted to flick it off your finger. You didn't check the room or the doorway. You weren't looking for someone to join you. I decided you were too angry with your husband to go home, and you didn't want to share anything with a girlfriend. I was coming over to see if I could help.

"The fierceness of your challenge and your finger wagging in my face told me you were really confronting your husband and not me. Do you remember what you said?

If you want a shot with me, buddy, you better come up with a comment or a question that tells me you get me. You've got exactly fifteen seconds to impress me with your insight about who I am or what I want, or I'm walking away with my Tanqueray. Everyone in this bar will know you blew it.

"I knew your anger wasn't about me. It was about your husband, and whatever it was, it was unresolved."

Eve studied John's face for the third time. "What do you do for a living, John?"

"I'm wealthy. I don't do anything for a living."

"You should be a detective."

"I'd rather be your friend."

"And what do you have to say to your new friend Eve?"

"I say three things to my new friend Eve. Your marriage will likely end in divorce unless you get help. Your husband is confused and needs help to sort out his rightful relationship with you. He will not let go of his fantasy until you agree to have sex with someone else. Whether or not you go through with it is a separate issue.

"Most men don't want their wives fucking other men or even other women. They want their wives to play within their male fantasies without actually engaging in them. I say "most men" because there is a percentage who does want this fantasy for real. We can test Tim to learn what type he is. The question is Do you love your husband enough to test him and learn his true nature?"

Eve chewed on her lower lip. She thought about Tim and the perfect marriage they'd had until he developed this fantasy about her fucking other men.

She looked up again at the sun setting amidst tall buildings. Suddenly she realized that the limited amount of time remaining for sunset was the same as a limited amount of time in her life. And the immensity of Space meant no boundaries were preventing her from going where she chose.

It was her choice to go where she will. There were no rules she was required to follow. It was also her time, no one else's, to spend before it all ended, and it was her choice to spend it as she will. She made her choice as she stood in the Garden on a street corner in Minneapolis. She made her choice as she stood next to her newest friend.

If I wanted to fuck other men, I'd fuck John right now. He gets me more than Tim. Whatever is wrong with Tim, our marriage must be sorted out. That's the truth of it.

"John, I don't want to fuck other men for my husband's pleasure, that's for damn sure. If his true nature is to shop me around like some whore then he can kiss my ass and our marriage, goodbye!"

John smiled at her forcefulness. "I'll take that as a yes. Will you meet me tomorrow? I'd like you to think about this overnight and, if you're still willing in the morning, meet me, and we'll talk about how to fix your husband and your marriage."

"I've thought about what to do for the past six months, and I'm done with thinking. It's time to do something. You said you can help. Let's begin tonight. You get me, John. What should I do tonight to begin changing Tim or my marriage or whatever?"

John could see the resolve within Eve. She'd made up her mind to do something and live with the consequences.

"Go home, Eve. Tell Tim you don't like this idea of another man, but you can see that it's important to him. Tell him you met someone tonight who affected you, like the man at the Black and White party. Tell him you ran away from this man, but you regretted you didn't go with him on the way home. Tell him you've embarrassed yourself, but you thought he should know you were tempted. Then wait for him to speak. Don't say another word until he does. Don't apologize or ask for his thoughts or anything. Let him tell you what he thinks and what he wants to do about this information."

"Then what?"

"Then tell me about it tomorrow. Follow his lead and see where it goes with him."

Eve agreed and allowed John to enter his number into her phone. He said she could call anytime, day or night.

Eve coughed. "John, this is awkward, but would you mind if we kissed? I haven't kissed another man since I've been married, but I need to kiss you. Do you mind?"

John took Eve into his arms and tenderly kissed her. Eve's knees softened as John's kiss lengthened. She was comforted in his arms.

"That was nice, John."

"It was nice for me, too."

Eve Leaves the Garden

Eve thought about her kiss with John on the drive home. It was the sweetest guilt she'd ever felt.

Had she just tasted the Apple in the Garden, or had she kissed the Snake? A smile crossed her lips as she realized that whatever it was, she liked it.

She pulled into the garage and walked thru the kitchen. It was ten o'clock, and a grandfather clock chimed quietly in the hallway. Eve flicked off the downstairs lights and noticed there was a light upstairs in the computer room.

She thought about her kiss with John and let the angst overcome her. Her sweet guilt rose in her throat as she pushed open the computer door to tell Tim what happened.

Stunned by the scene in front of her, her sweet guilt quickly turned to anger as she saw Tim sitting in the nude, stroking his dick. She heard a woman's voice come through the speakers.

"What would you like me to do for you tonight, Tim?"

Eve's bile rose for the third time, and she exploded.

"What the fuck, Tim? What the fuck are you doing? You're masturbating with another woman?"

Tim flicked the screen off and turned to face Eve. It was his turn to be embarrassed.

"I, uh, I…"

Eve took just two steps to cross the room and slap him in the face. His head snapped to one side, and her hand stung from the hit.

Eve began to tremble. She ran from the computer room to the bedroom. Slamming the door, Eve threw herself on the bed. Her chest heaved as she sobbed. She felt betrayed on a whole different level than her kiss with John. A kiss is a kiss, but an orgasm with another woman is adultery.

Tim had been cheating on her with other women. It didn't matter if it was over the internet.

Why was Tim doing this? She bellowed and cried into her pillow. Her marriage was broken; she cried for its loss.

Tim came into the bedroom with his pants on and sat on the edge of the bed.

Tears flowed out of him, and he cried with her. He had hurt her. All he could mumble through his tears was how sorry he was.

His hands lay folded in his lap. His shoulders slumped. His head was hanging down. A position of repentance. He knew his masturbation with another woman was a sin against his marriage.

He knew he couldn't take it back.

He cried over his personal weakness as a man. Eve cried over the failure of her marriage.

They each cried while the guilt and shame overwhelmed them. Tim felt responsible for the lack of character in himself. Eve felt responsible for the lack of a close relationship with Tim. Her anger with him over his fantasy had driven him to another woman. She was sure of it.

Eventually, Tim stood and opened the top drawer of his bureau. Pulling out two red farmer's handkerchiefs, he put one next to Eve's hand. He wiped his face with the other and then blew his nose.

Eve sat up on the bed and did the same.

Tim sat on the same side of the bed. Not too close. They couldn't look at each other yet. Both stared at the floor for the longest time.

Eve finally spoke. "Why?"

Tim sobbed again. Eve sobbed again. They each choked on the emotion of the moment.

Tim shrugged.

"Who is she?"

"Her name is Shelby, and her husband's name is Dallas."

"Husband? She's married?"

"Yes, they're a cam couple."

Eve breathed a little easier. Tim had been watching married people have sex? Maybe there was hope?

"How long?"

"Two weeks."

Eve nodded. Thank God it wasn't two months or two years.

"Why, Tim, why?"

"I got stupid and carried away. Shelby's a hotwife; Dallas records her; I watch her have sex with Dallas and with other men, too."

Eve was shocked by what she heard, but maybe this wasn't adultery. Maybe, just perhaps, it fell short of crossing that line. Still, it was sexual relief with other people, and that was not good for her marriage.

"Eve, I'm sorry. I, uh…"

Eve stuck her French-tipped finger in his face.

"Don't talk, Tim. Not one word. I don't want to talk about it anymore tonight. You sleep in the guestroom. I'm angry, and I don't want you in bed with me tonight or any other night until this is fixed."

Tim reached out to touch her; Eve pulled her finger away from his face and pointed it toward the door.

"Not tonight or any other night until this is fixed between us! Out!