The Harem by Paul Preston

that already, didn’t I? I don’t know why you make me so nervous. Do you mind if I call you Eve?”
    “No, I don’t mind, Jeremy. That’s what my friends used to call me, growing up.”
    “I’d like to be your friend too, Eve.”
    Finally, I had to tell him the truth. I let go and folded my hands tightly across my lap.
    “Jeremy, there’s something… I’ve been neglecting to tell you.”
    “You’re not a virgin?”
    “No, it’s not that.”
    “You’ve fallen madly in love with me?”
    “Jeremy!”
    In the mirror I could see my face had turned red. I slapped him lightly on the shoulder and held my hand there for a few seconds. As I did it, it seemed like it was someone else’s hand flirtatiously touching him. As soon as I became aware of what I was doing, I withdrew my hand.
    “OK, the truth…I’ve met you before… at church, over two years ago, at little Georgie’s confirmation. I think he was your… ex-wife’s nephew. Remember? I’m sorry I didn’t tell you until now. Please don’t be mad.”
    Jeremy sat back in his chair. He didn’t seem upset at all and had a twinkle in his eyes.
    “My, my, my, aren’t you a sneaky girl, Eve! Pretending all this time we had never met.”
    “I know I should’ve told you when I first met you at Starbucks. And… that I knew about the divorce. I’m so sorry.”
    Like a gentleman, he brushed the embarrassing incident aside.
    “Oh, don’t worry about it, Eve. I suppose by now all of Rockville knows I’m a cuckold. Am I growing horns yet?”
    “Please don’t be embarrassed about it, Jeremy.”
    “It’s hard not to be, Eve.”
    “It was hardly your fault that your wife cheated on you.”
    I explained to Jeremy how I accidentally saw his picture on that naughty website and felt compelled to make contact with him. I told him that even though I was inexperienced in these matters, I thought having sexual contact without emotional intimacy seemed rather empty to me. I told him I came to his home tonight to pray with him.
    “Are you trying to save my soul, Eve?”
    “I know I don’t really know you very well, Jeremy, and I can’t begin to understand how painful it was for you when you saw your ex-wife having carnal relations with another man, but I don’t see how creating this “Harem” and engaging in meaningless and indiscriminate sex can help you heal your broken heart.”
    “Have you come here to heal my broken heart, Eve?”
    His words and the hypnotic way he looked at me made my stomach do flips. I felt these goose bumps run up the backside of my arms and my heart started racing again. I tried to take a deep breath, but it was like I couldn’t take any air into my lungs. Dear Lord, what was happening to me? I tried to stay focused.
    “I’d like to try to help you, Jeremy. I’d like to say a little prayer with you. Do you mind?”
    “That’s very kind of you. I don’t mind at all, Eve. No one has ever prayed for my soul.”
    He reached out and I took his hands in mine. I slipped off my chair, kneeling at his feet. He followed and kneeled close to me on the floor. I could feel the soft material of his robe brush against my skin. Our bodies were extremely close to each other. Before I bowed my head, I noticed his eyes were wide open and he was looking at me in a funny way. I shut my eyes and prayed…
    “Dear Lord, Heavenly Father, I ask you to give my brother, Jeremy, wisdom and clarity, to help him in his recovery from the pain of his divorce from Debbie. In your everlasting mercy, may you give him the strength to heal his broken—”
    Suddenly I felt Jeremy’s soft lips lock onto mine and his strong arms wrap tightly around my body, pressing me firmly against the hard muscles of his chest.
    The long fingers of one of his hands slipped through the strands of my hair and closed in a fist, pressing on the back of my head, holding my lips steadily against his. I kept my eyes shut but inadvertently opened my lips slightly. I felt his tongue