Only You (Wild Creek Ranch Series Book 4)

Chapter Six

After dinner, Renée went back to Sawyer's room to ask him how he ate her tasteless food, but he was already fast asleep. She smiled at him tenderly and left his room. She knew he would be better the next day and there was no stopping him then. He would be up early and away the whole day, back to ignoring her.

The next morning, just as she had predicted, he was gone to the stables by the time she woke up. "You took such good care of him, he's back to his old self," said Granny appreciatively.

"He could have rested today," Renée grumbled. His mom chuckled and looked at her with tenderness and love. Ryder and Ryan rushed back from somewhere.

"Hey, little sis! There's no time to sit and chitchat. We'd be leaving for college two hours early today," said Ryan, while Renée glared at him.

"That early? Why?"

"We have a meeting with our coach," said Ryder. They both played for the college football team and, as such, were quite popular at college.

"What will I do that early? I'll be bored all alone." Just then, Sawyer walked inside to have his breakfast.

"I'll drop you later. Let them go early," he said on his way to his room to freshen up. Renée's heart picked up speed at the thought of going on a long drive with him.

'I wish his car would break down on the way!' She wanted to be stranded with him in the middle of nowhere! Chuckling at her wicked thoughts, she went to her room to get ready for college. She would dress up and look as mature as possible to make Sawyer fall for her.

Looking through her wardrobe, she settled for black figure-hugging jeans and a red top which enhanced her figure. She knew she looked very attractive in it. Red was her favorite color, and it suited her the most.

As she emerged from her room, she saw Sawyer waiting for her in the living room. His jaws dropped as he gaped at her provocative look. The deep neckline revealed ample skin, and it made Sawyer mad with fury. Who did she dress up to kill? Matt? Jealousy made him see red.

"Change that, Renée," he growled. Renée froze in her tracks.

"Why should I? I want to look good," she protested. "Mom, I don't want to change, please." Her mom shrugged, suppressing a smile.

"You look good in anything you wear. You don't need revealing clothes. C'mon, change into something sober," he growled again stubbornly.

"This is the first and last time I'm going with you. Soon I'll be eighteen and I'll drive to college." She stomped to her room, grumbling all the way.

This time, she picked up whatever she could get hold of. What was the use? He was blind, anyway! He would never see how grown up and sexy she looked! After five minutes, she came out with a scowl wearing a pink tee shirt that read "the coolest gal in the world".

Sawyer's mood uplifted to see her, and he picked up his keys and walked out to his truck. Renée grimaced behind him and followed him out with that same scowl on her face. She wasn't talking to him!

He started his truck with her sitting next to him, looking grumpy as ever. As he drove out of Wild Creek Ranch, he glanced at her expression. "So you're not gonna talk to me, right?"

"No, I'm mad at you." She avoided looking in his direction.

"Who did you dress up for? For Matt?"

"No. Matt doesn't study at our college for your kind information." Sawyer looked at her with his mouth hanging open. So if not for Matt, then for whom? This was the question that was utmost on his mind.

"Oh, then who?"

"I'm not answering that." She looked even more upset. Was he dumb?

"Will you answer me if I treated you to ice cream?" Renée turned 180 degrees out of excitement, facing him and staring at him with eagerness.

"I'll get late." She pouted.

Sawyer considered her words. "Okay, while returning home, then?"

"Yes, please. Will you come to fetch me?" She clasped her hands together with excitement. Sawyer chuckled at her childishness.

"I thought this was the last time you're coming along with me?" Renée looked ashamed of herself.

"I speak anything when I'm mad."

"I know. I loved that red top. You could wear it on special occasions, not at college." Renée nodded, glad that he liked it at least.

"So how many friends did you make?"

"4-5," said Renée with a dazzling smile.

"Oh, boys or girls?"

"Both," shrugged Renée. Sawyer glanced at her with an irritated look on his face.

"How many boys?" he asked gruffly, his whole body burning with jealousy.

"Two, why?"

"I'd like to meet them today." Renée shook her head.

"Why should I agree to everything that you say? You've never introduced me to your friends." Sawyer was quiet for a while as he silently drove. Renée kept glancing at him, wondering what he was thinking about. After ten minutes of silence, Renée couldn't take it any longer.

"You didn't answer me, Sawyer?" Sawyer sighed.

"I don't have any friends." Renée gaped at him. She never knew that he didn't have anyone to call a friend. He might be so lonely.

"Why? Everybody has friends."

"Those who come from a normal family have friends. Everyone at college knew about my life history. They didn't want to be friends with me." Renée's heart went out to him. She hadn't known about this!

"Then such people who judge you based on that aren't worth your friendship, Sawyer."

"You're right. I have a good friend, anyway, and I don't need another."

"Who?" asked Renée eagerly.

"Someone who took care of me when I was sick." Renée couldn't help the smile that was dying to break out on her lips. So he treated her as a friend and not a cousin as she had thought? That was an improvement.

"I'm honored that you consider me as a friend. By the way, tell me, how did you eat the tasteless soup that I made for you?" Sawyer smiled.

"Please tell me. I'm dying to know." Sawyer kept smiling, and she went crazy with the need to know how.

"You tell me first whom you had dressed up for today?" Renée blushed at the roots of her hair.

"You, who else?" she said shyly, leaving him stunned. "Now it's your turn to tell me."

"I have always told you I'll eat anything you cook for me."

"Oh, that's all?" She felt a little disappointed that he didn't confess his feelings like she had. Sawyer nodded.

"Yes, what else you expected to hear?" he asked her, stopping his truck right in front of her college.

"Nothing," she said, opening her door to go out. She had expected him to say that he liked her a little more, that his feelings for her were growing day by day. Anything to give her a little more hope. He caught her hand to stop her.

"There's no hope for us, Ren. The sooner you realize it, the better." Renée stilled completely, tears pooling in her eyes. The hope that she had been feeling for the last two days was crushed again. So he was better now and they would go back to ignoring one another again?

"Thanks for pointing it out to me. Your behavior sometimes gives me hope. I can't figure you out," she whispered, looking completely like a crushed flower, ready to wilt away. Sawyer felt like a criminal. He couldn't leave her hand and let her go. He wanted to hold her in his arms and tell her he loved her, but he was afraid that the Wilsons would throw him out and he could never see her again.

Renée tried to wrench her hand free from his hold. "I'm sorry. I-I'll not burden you with my feelings. Leave me Sawyer. I'm getting late." Sawyer released her reluctantly, his face grim and hurt.

"You don't need to come to pick me up. I'll figure it out." She ran towards her building while Sawyer sat still, watching her go. It wasn't in his hands. She was still a minor and the way their feelings for each other were developing at such a fast rate, it would soon come out in the open. He didn't want Renée to be punished for loving him.