Only You (Wild Creek Ranch Series Book 4)

Chapter Seventeen

The next morning, Sawyer trudged to work. Rhett and Rex had left with their uncle Kennedy and he was overloaded with responsibilities. Ryder and Ryan would help once they returned from college. Sawyer didn't get to see Renée the whole day being too busy. When he returned home, it was already 9 o'clock in the night. He took a quick shower and sat down at the dining table to eat, his eyes going straight to Renée's sweet face.

Sawyer noticed the way she avoided his eyes, the way she played with her food. There was a dejected look on her face. He knew she was hurting and swore to put an end to her suffering tonight. He couldn't see her this way. She was too precious to him.

His dad, granddad, and uncles discussed the work. Sawyer, Ryder, and Ryan too updated whatever happened the whole day. It was only work, work and more work being discussed at the dining table, annoying everyone.

"Please give us a break, Kevin. Can't you discuss this afterward?" asked Granny Jenny. They all chuckled and then relaxed considerably to enjoy dinner.

"This lasagna soup is great. Who made it?" asked Ryder, licking his spoon clean. "Can I have some more, please?" Aunt Katherine smiled.

"Guess what?" she said with a knowing smile. "Your little sister made it."

"No way! Renée, did you make it? Where did you learn this from?" asked Ryder, looking at her and then at the soup with disbelief.

"Really, Renée, this is very good. When did you become such an expert cook?" asked her granddad, impressed by her culinary skills.

"Thank you, granddad. I learned it yesterday from Ana's granny," said Renée, but she didn't smile at so many wonderful comments that she received. In fact, she didn't even look at Sawyer to see his reaction to the food that she had made. She was disappointed in him. She had waited for him for two days to come to her and comfort her, to confess his feelings for her, to convince her and take her out on a date, but he hadn't. He was busy with his work. He didn't have the time to think of her. Maybe she was a crazy girl who had dumped her feelings upon him all the time. Now she would change that. She would show him she wasn't dependent upon him for her happiness. She would learn to be happy without him.

After dinner, she spent time with Rihanna, discussing a project she needed to complete for college. They talked after completing the project work about the problem at their hotel. "Have you ever gone to Vegas, Anna?" she asked curiously.

"Yes, twice," said Rihanna. "I didn't like the fast city life after spending half my life here."

"Even I would prefer to spend my life here." They talked for some more time, and Renée went away. Dumping her laptop, she went to the back porch to get some fresh air before retiring to her room. She wanted to avoid Sawyer, knowing he might go to her room to check up with her. So for the next half an hour, she sat on the porch, drawing the warm stole around her for comfort.

The darkness calmed her considerably, and she was about to go inside when the door opened and Sawyer strode out. "What are you doing here in the darkness?"

Renée was quiet, not knowing what to say. She couldn't tell him she was hiding from him. He sat beside her, looking at her with concern. "I'm sorry, Ren," he whispered, but she didn't reply. She was done with him. This time, she made up her mind to learn to be happy without him.

Sawyer sighed. "Won't you forgive me?" he asked softly.

She kept staring into the darkness, pulling the stole closer.

"I just lost my head after hearing Aunt Helena and Matt's mom plan your wedding with Matt after you turned eighteen. Then I saw you dancing with him and thought you agreed to marry him." He looked so stressed and vulnerable, that Renée couldn't ignore him any longer. She picked up his hand, but he grabbed hers in his.

"I could never marry another, Sawyer. You know that by now. Don't you?" she asked softly. Sawyer nodded.

"But I'm scared," he admitted. Renée looked at him with concern.

"Of what?"

Sawyer started stroking the back of her hand absent-mindedly. "Of our future, Ren. I'm obligated to your family for everything that they've done for me. I don't want to betray their trust and take advantage of your innocence. Can you understand what I'm trying to tell you?" he asked, his face solemn as he stared at Renée.

She listened to him quietly without a word, lost deep in her thoughts. She realized what was stopping him, but he had to know that she was too deep into him now and couldn't go back from there. "Tell me, Sawyer. Do you feel anything for me?" Sawyer was silent. He was in a dilemma. Should he go against the family and declare his feelings for her? Once his feelings were known, there would be no going back. Was he ready to fight for her? Was he ready to go against the family if the need arose?

"Sawyer, it's okay if you feel nothing for me. It's okay if you don't love me. Just tell me, I need to know where I stand. Maybe, it's time to find my happiness in some other thing, like my career or something. I can't continue living like this, hoping that someday you'll fall in love with me." She extracted her hand from his hold. "I can't stay here any longer. I'll go away to my uncle's house in Pennsylvania."

Her uncle Henry, her mom's only brother, lived in Pennsylvania. He and his wife lived there all alone since their four sons had left home for their studies. They had invited Renée many times since she was the only girl in the family, but Renée didn't get the time to go. This time, she decided that if Sawyer didn't return her feelings, she would go there, far away from Montana, and try to get Sawyer out of her system. If it took all her life, she would stay there all her life.

"Don't go, Ren. I'll die without you," he cried in an anguished tone.

"Why would you die? If anyone should die, it should be me. I can't live like this anymore," she said, getting up to go inside, but he caught her hand and pulled her down. The suddenness of his action made her fall onto his lap.

His arms wrapped around her and he caught her tightly to himself, cradling her in his arms as if she was some cherished treasure that he couldn't part with. His fingers tangled into her hair and he pulled her head closer until their faces were inches apart.

Renée's breath hitched in anticipation. He closed the distance between them and his mouth finally claimed hers in a hungry kiss, full of passion, full of love. It was what both of them had been dying for. He ran his tongue hungrily along her bottom lip, parting them, gliding his minty-flavored tongue over hers.

Renée's brain turned to mush as the kiss was more overwhelming than she had ever imagined in her dreams. It fogged her brain, and all she was aware of was the heat pooling in her abdomen as he continued to kiss her.

He pulled her closer to his feverish body as if not getting enough of her. She wound her arms around his neck and started kissing him back in the same way as he did. A groan escaped his mouth as the kiss turned wilder and both forgot the world around them.

The hoot of an owl echoed in the still air, bringing them to their senses. Sawyer pulled away, breathing hard, staring at her like he couldn't get enough. Renée stared at him with disbelief, her fingers going to her swollen lips.

"I love you, Renée, more than I love myself. Don't talk about dying, please. I want you to live a happy life, a fulfilling life," he whispered, molding her to himself and embedding his face into her hair. Renée pressed herself closer. Hearing the words that she had always longed to hear made her heart swell with happiness. He loved her. He loved her. She just couldn't believe her ears.

"I can't have a happy and fulfilling life without you, Sawyer." Sawyer released a deep, staggering sigh into her hair.

"What if our family is against us?" he asked with concern.

"I can convince them, Sawyer. Believe me."

"Will you be mine forever?" he asked with hope. Renée nodded. A shy smile lit up her face under the moonlit sky.

"Yes, and you?" she asked hopefully.

"I was always yours, Ren." She hugged him tightly, her heart thumping wildly at his admission. The night air was getting colder and Sawyer got up with her. He placed her down on her feet.

"Let's go inside. It's getting late," he said, looking much more relaxed than ever before. Renée nodded, and they went inside to sleep, blissfully happy at last.