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Life span was very short, yet people of the Germanic tribes liked to maintain 1 wife at a time. The life span of a germanic tribe member was short compared ot todays life span.
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Actually, this is not entirely accurate. The life expectancy was shorter overall, that is true. But that figure is heavily skewed by infant and child mortality. You'd be hard pressed in those times to find a family who hadn't had at least one stillbirth, or death of a child. If you could survive to adulthood, your chances of living to old age were greatly increased. So by the time your ancestors were able to marry, chances are they would live as long as the typical person today would.
I haven't given much thought to whether cheating behavior is instinctive, but using your reasoning, it wouldn't be.