Of all the dilemma’s in the world to have – this one was one you could chew on.

Lounging on the side of the hill while the Warriors held a game of lacrosse in the field below, she could soak in the pleasure of dissecting it. For the moment she could push aside all of her guilt, her past shame. The sun was bright enough, the men gorgeous enough, that only good thoughts could occupy her mind.

In the middle of the field in deep discussion were the two team leaders. Appropriately they were the two men she was focused on, and the best men in the entire Tribe. Hands down.

To the left was Reed. Her husband.

To the right, Kane. Her lover.

On the surface there was no difference between them. How was she supposed to choose? Both had the bronze skin of their Native people. Deep color enriched by the well fitting light tan buckskins they both wore.

Kane’s black hair was short, shorn by a few years in the US Army. Even short it was thick and full, and the unruly stage of regrowth it was at suited him. On the other hand, Reed’s was long. Braided tight and smooth down his back. In the white world he might have gotten funny looks, but here it belonged.

Reed was an amazing man. Thoughtful, kind, always forgiving. His heart was far too big to be real. But she knew it to be true. He’d always been like that. Of course, Kane was gruff, sarcastic, sometimes snarky. A bit conceited. It came with his age, she supposed. Still, there was a consideration, an understanding within him that she felt that few people saw. She felt privileged to be one of them.

They were both Warriors. Strong and fierce, with bodies to match. Well lined, hard muscles. All wonderfully revealed in their minimal clothing. Their fighting skills were comparable. Reed was better with a knife, but Kane excelled with a bow and hand to hand combat.

She had known Reed since they were both still in the papoose. Their mothers were best friends. He was the son of the Chief, she the daughter of the Medicine Man. They were destined for each other. Reed knew almost everything about her.

It was the ‘almost’ that ruined the perfection of her feelings for him. The things he didn’t know. The things she was too ashamed to tell him. The ways she’d betrayed him. The ways she’d betrayed herself.

Kane had just walked into her life a month ago. He didn’t know her secrets either, but something urged her to tell him. In one look it was like he knew her soul. Like it wouldn’t matter to him if she told him the truth. Maybe he would be the one that understood. After all, he was no angel himself.

It was his own secret withholding that ruined what might have been a deeper relationship for them. For all their time together she knew little about him, and he knew just as little about her. Their connection was strong, but their time limited.

In the end what would it matter?

The only choice to be made wasn’t between these two men. It was between life and death.

Because she knew she would betray them both.

And that would kill her.

*~*~*~*~*

***The image is the cover for the novel I’m writing.  These characters are my current focus and when I saw “Knife Skills” the first thing I thought of was Reed and his prowess w/ the blade.  So, this piece emerged.