Only You (Wild Creek Ranch Series Book 4)

Chapter Three

"No, you don't, Sawyer. I know you hate me." Renée sprang up and ran towards the house far away from where they were. She wouldn't listen to his lies. His behavior for the last four years proved he didn't care about her. Those had been the most miserable years of her life, as she lived with her unrequited love.

Sawyer came to his senses as her broken words registered in his mind. He got up and ran after her. Of course, he didn't hate her and he had to tell her that.

"Ren, wait, listen to me," he yelled after her, but she wouldn't stop. He soon caught up with her and grabbed her hand.

"Leave me Sawyer. Coming back was a mistake. I should have stayed in Helena forever!" She tried to wrench her hand free of his hold. Sawyer was torn between his love for her and his obligation towards her family, yet he couldn't leave her hurting like this. He whirled her around and pulled her into his chest.

"Shh, Ren, I don't hate you." He stroked her hair, holding her close. She struggled to get free, but Sawyer's hold was like a steel band around her and she failed, sagging into his body, her arms wrapping around his torso. She broke down finally with no control over the tears she had controlled for the last four years of her dismal life. Her tears drenched his shirt, but he didn't care. He just held her and let her get over the pain.

"Coming back wasn't a mistake. I've missed you a lot. I'm glad you're here, Ren." She felt much better hearing his soothing voice coming from deep within his soul, like a low rumble. It calmed her considerably and she wiped her tears and released him, looking embarrassed. She couldn't meet his eyes, feeling extremely ashamed of herself for showing him how vulnerable she was. He might have realized by now that she hadn't overcome her feelings for him. She hadn't been able to move on from him. He might be pitying her.

"I'm okay. I'll go home." She couldn't meet his eyes after that meltdown. Sawyer felt restless at her behavior. He wanted her to realize how much he cared for her. Couldn't she realize why he couldn't confess his love for her ever? Why was she running away from him instead of understanding him?

"Where's your horse?" He looked around for her, Cinnamon.

"Cinnamon's unwell. She had given birth two days back. I didn't want to ride any other, so I walked." She shrugged, turning to walk away, but Sawyer again caught her hand.

"I'll take you home. The sun's about to set and you shouldn't be walking alone now." He pulled her towards the place where Challenger was tied. He hoisted her first and mounted after her. Renée was acutely aware of his ripped body flush against her back. She could feel every rippling movement of his muscles as Challenger started a steady gallop towards the house. His arms around her holding onto the reigns, brushed against her sides. She could feel his warm breath on her neck. Being in his arms felt like bliss, and she realized that this was where she wanted to belong.

"Why are you so quiet?" Sawyer was drowned with his mouth against her hair as he breathed in her scent. He didn't want this ride to end and purposely guided Challenger along the most round-about path possible that would give him maximum time with her.

"I don't know what to say." Sawyer chuckled at her shyness.

"You've changed Ren. You were a chatterbox, the last time I saw you." Sawyer couldn't associate that this extremely quiet girl to the Renée he knew. She would always talk non stop. Chatting and talking were her favorite things to do. So what happened now?

"Maybe. Situations change us." Challenger just trotted comfortably, not in any haste to go home.

"Do situations change our feelings too, Ren?" He couldn't help but ask what was disturbing him constantly. The question that he desperately sought an answer to. He had to know whether she still loved him.

"True feelings never change, Sawyer." He sighed but didn't say a word further. Sawyer was dying to ask whether her feelings were as true as his were. He wanted to know whether her feelings for him changed or whether she still loved him, but they reached the stables and he had to dismount. He helped Renée down and the moment he released her, she dashed towards the house, not staying a minute longer. Sawyer sighed and led Challenger to his stall.

Renée fled to the sanctity of her room. She couldn't erase the feel of Sawyer's body against hers. She could still feel the warmth of his embrace, and it was making her go crazy for more. When she heard him go into his room, she went out to the kitchen to help with dinner.

"What are you making, aunt Kathy?" she asked, peering into the pan.

"Your favorite pork chops," said aunt Katherine with a smile. Renée's mouth watered as she inhaled the delicious aroma of her favourite dish.

"This is the best part of being home. You get your favorite food all the time," she said excitedly, giving her aunt a hug.

"Why are you in the kitchen, Renée?" asked Ryder, coming into the kitchen to get a plate of jerkies that was served for him.

"Why can't I be here?" Glared Renée.

"You can't cook to save your life, so why even try?" Shrugged Ryder. Renée gave her aunt a helpless look as Ryder left with a chuckle.

"Please, can you teach me to cook, aunt Kathy?" Sawyer came into the kitchen and saw her with his mom. His whole body came alive with excitement as he stood beside her, listening to their conversation with an avid interest.

"Sure, sweetie. You can help me make dinner every day and soon you'll learn everything."

"Yeah, and if you're good at it, I'll keep you with me forever," said Sawyer. Renée was about to faint hearing his words. She gaped at him and then at his mom, who only chuckled with a strange gleam in her eyes. Sawyer walked out with a chuckle, leaving Renée to ponder over what he just said. After learning to make an easy side dish, Renée walked out of the kitchen with a satisfied grin on her face. She had learnt to make one dish at least!

She saw that Ryder's friends had come over and all over their porch, sipping beer and devouring the jerkies like a bunch of hooligans. "Hey, Renée! Is that really you?" asked Matt, one of his closest friends.

"Yes, it's me, Matt," she said, waving at him. Matt got up from his chair and walked over to her with a smile on his face.

"Hey, Matt, no hitting on my sister!" yelled Ryder with a frown.

"Just talking, man, chill!" yelled back Matt. Everyone knew Matt liked her and Ryder and he had a fight over it when they were younger, but then, Matt left Fordsville for his studies and all the enmity had been forgotten.

"So, Renée, what are you planning to study now?" asked Matt with interest.

"Let's see, I was thinking about majoring in psychology." Matt appreciated her choice of career.

"So you want to be a psychologist, huh?"

"Yeah."

"In a few years, you'd be able to see a person and know what's going on in his mind. Right?" asked Matt with a smirk.

Renée rolled her eyes. "Maybe." She shrugged. She knew what he was trying to hint at, but she wasn't interested at all in him.

"She wouldn't want to know about your mind, Matt," growled a furious Sawyer, striding towards them with purpose.

"I was just asking, bro," said Matt, looking uncomfortable.

Sawyer came to a halt right in front of him, nose to nose, glaring at him as if he'd beat the shit out of him. "Stay away from her," he gritted out. Matt's eyes widened, and he stepped back with his hands up in surrender.

"I'm going. Don't get so f*cked up, dude!" he said with a shrug, walking away towards his friends. Sawyer caught Renée's hand and pulled her along with him.

"Sawyer, let me go," said Renée, trying to extricate her hand from his iron-like grip.

"No, I won't," he gritted out furiously, his whole body burning with a mixture of strange feelings, of jealousy and anger, combined. He pulled her into his room and whirled her around to face him.

"So, were your feelings for me untrue, Ren? It seems you don't love me anymore," he asked, his eyes burning into hers.