This short novel (114 pages) packed a lot of sexy and a lot of romance into its pages. Small-town girl Ana Reynold is working as a barmaid and trying to move up to being cook when she meets a handsome Lakota man named Howahkan. They don't seem to have much in common except a powerful attraction to each other. Kane knows that there is a lot of prejudice about a white woman dating a Lakota man. He is also concerned about preserving his Lakota heritage. When he was younger he left the reservation with a girl and got into some trouble and suffered some heartbreak and embarrassment. He doesn't want to chance anything like that happening again.Ana is young but not stupid. She knows there can be prejudice but isn't going to let that stop her from getting what she wants. Kane proposes a quick weekend affair but that isn't enough to satisfy either of them. He asks Ana to move in with him but is still worried that the life he wants isn't enough for her. After all, she has been secretly painting for years and he knows she is talented.When he sends one of her paintings to New York with his latest bunch of saddles and other leatherwork, her art is discovered. He wants her to pursue her dreams of being an artist even when she would rather stay with him. It takes sending her off to New York for a month to make him realize how much he needs her to be a part of his life.This was an excellent story about two people in love compromising to make their relationship work. It was also filled with lots of sexy love scenes that made me want to turn up the air conditioning in my living room!
