Only You (Wild Creek Ranch Series Book 4)

Chapter Sixteen

"I don't believe you. Prove it to me you dressed up for me," he growled, watching Renée like he had lost his mind. Renée stood frozen, looking down at her feet with more tears threatening to fall from her eyes. She had no idea how to prove it to him. The way she escaped from Matt was proof enough, but he was blind in his rage to see that.

"C'mon, prove me," he gritted out. Renée's eyes flew up to his face. Her hands touched his cheek tenderly, and she pulled his face down to hers. Her sweet mouth gently claimed his hot angry lips, sucking them, coating them with her sweetness, calming them. Sawyer's head turned to mush. It was the most touching and overwhelming kiss ever, leaving Sawyer too stunned to react. Seeing his frozen state, Renée released his mouth.

"Did you get your proof, Sawyer? Did you feel my love for you?" she whispered, releasing him. She picked up her clothes and ran to the washroom and locked herself inside, finally letting the tears fall as she crumpled to the floor.

Sawyer came out of his trance. His heart started beating wildly. That simple yet beautiful kiss was so tender and precious, showing him clearly how much she loved him. He felt guilty for overreacting the way he did. He knocked on the door of her washroom.

"Ren, please open the door. I'm sorry," he said in an almost pleading tone, but Renée didn't open the door. He closed his eyes and counted to ten. He could hear her sobs, although she tried her best to be as silent as possible.

"I'm sorry I overreacted. Please open the door, Renée," he pleaded, but Renée didn't listen to his pleas. Sawyer waited for twenty minutes, but she didn't come out of the washroom. He heard Rihanna's footsteps as she came back from the party and headed to her room. Sawyer couldn't stay here much longer. What if someone came in to her room and found him? He had to leave. He quietly slipped out of her room and went to his. Changing out of his clothes, he lay down on his bed.

Even after an hour, Sawyer couldn't sleep. He had heard aunt Helena discussing a probable wedding between Matt and Renée in the near future and he had been too disturbed ever since. The whole time they planned and plotted, and all Sawyer wanted was to announce his feelings for her. But he couldn't! If she were older, he could have announced already and married her by hook or crook, but she was just seventeen and his hands were tied. He felt helpless and depressed. He couldn't let Renée marry Matt. She was his, only his.

The next morning, everyone was tired from the party last night, but Sawyer was restless. He wanted to pull Renée into his arms and kiss her. After that sweet kiss that she gave him, he couldn't stay away any longer. His whole body burned with a fire that only her kisses could douse. He wanted to remind her about the outing that he had promised to take her today. It would be their first date together! A secret date! He freshened up quickly and went out of his room to see what she was up to.

He searched the whole house. It was already 8 o'clock in the morning and he couldn't find Renée anywhere. Where could she be so early in the morning? He went out and saw Rihanna jogging around the house. His eyes almost popped out seeing Renée clad in a hot yoga pant and a clingy top jogging alongside her. Her hair was tied on top of her head in a ponytail and she looked all flushed as she jogged to keep pace with Rihanna. He stood leaning against a pillar, watching them with a smirk.

"Hey, lazy butt! Why don't you join us?" asked Rihanna, grinning at him.

"Nah, I'm good! I prefer watching you girls," he said with a grin.

"Aren't you creepy?" asked Rihanna.

"Does your companion think so too?" asked Sawyer with a broad grin. Renée rolled her eyes.

"Tell your brother that your companion isn't talking to him," said Renée. Rihanna looked amused.

"You heard that, brother?" she said to Sawyer, who chuckled.

"I'm hurt," he said, clutching at his heart. "Then how will we go out on a date today?" he asked with fake concern. Renée's eyes momentarily lit up hearing about the date. Then she remembered how mean he was last night.

"I'm not going anywhere with you." Rihanna rolled her eyes at the two of them.

"I'm done jogging. You two sort out your date issue," she said, walking away towards the house. Renée was about to run after her, but Sawyer grabbed her hand to stop her.

"I'm not done talking, Ren," said Sawyer, staring at her.

"Leave me, Sawyer. I'm not going anywhere with you," she said, struggling to get free from his iron-like grip.

"Why not? We will go out together today."

"No Sawyer. You always make me feel like a liar. You always corner me and make me prove my feelings for you, but what about you? I don't know if you feel anything at all for me or care at all about me. I don't know if you ever can love me back. You never confess your feelings. Why should I go out with you?" she rambled with tears in her eyes. Her works shocked Sawyer. He released her hand as her words sank into his head.

Renée didn't wait for his answer. She knew he wouldn't have any answer for her. She ran into the house, not wanting to go anywhere with him. Sawyer stood still. Her words played again and again in his head. What she said was true. He never told her his own feelings, but made her confess hers repeatedly. It wasn't fair to her.

He walked towards the stables with the hopes of a date crumbling to dust. If he didn't confess his true feelings for her, she would never go out with him. He worked at the stables till late, although it was a Sunday. He couldn't go home and face Renée. What answers would he give her? After a whole day, he returned home in the evening. His mom scowled at him.

"What made you skip your meals, Saw? I was waiting for you." Sawyer gave her an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, ma, I lost track of time." Sawyer trudged towards his room. He didn't see Renée anywhere around. He showered and changed and bumped into Rihanna on his way out.

"What happened? You two didn't go out on your date?" she asked him. Sawyer shook his head.

"I got busy and lost the track of time."

"Liar, you were hiding somewhere the whole day while Renée was crying her eyes out for you here," said Rihanna. Sawyer gaped at her with his jaws dropped. She was crying for him?

"Escaping doesn't help, Saw. Face your feelings, confess them to her. You'll feel much better," said Rihanna.

"It's not that easy, Anna. She's still a minor. You'll have done a lot for me. I can't betray uncle Kendrick and aunt Helena's trust. They're planning to get Renée married to Matt, which I can't let happen, but at the moment, my hands are tied. After she's eighteen, I'll surely beg everyone for her hand, but before that happens, I just can't play along with her feelings, take advantage of her innocence. My love for her isn't selfish, Anna." His words had her dumbfounded. She handed thought from his point of view at all. He wasn't wrong in his thoughts.

"Tell Renée what you told me, Saw. Save her from the heartache that she's going through," said Rihanna.

"Do you think that once I confess my feelings for her, there'd be any way to hold back? I've been in love with her all my life. I wouldn't be able to control myself," said Sawyer, shaking his head.

"Hmm, then what else do you plan to do?" asked Rihanna.

"I'm at my wits ends. I can't see her upset and crying. Maybe I'll talk to her, try to cheer her up, but I don't see her around. Where's she?"

"Oh, she's gone to Anastasia's house with Ryder." So he had no choice but to wait for her.

They had received a call from Russell informing them about an emergency at The Imperial when a wing which needed repairs crumbled after a fire broke out in one of the guest rooms. Thankfully, the room was vacant, and no one was injured. Rhett and Rex would have to go with their uncle Kennedy to Las Vegas to handle the matter. It might take him a long, maybe a month, to return home. In the meantime, Sawyer would have to take up their added responsibilities, being the next oldest son of the family. The whole evening, he and his dad, grand dad and uncles discussed what needed to be done at their dairy farm and also at the stables.

Sawyer was exhausted. Renée had stayed back at her friend's house, and his heart felt heavier than before.