Only You (Wild Creek Ranch Series Book 4)

Chapter Twenty-Two

After dropping the others off, Sawyer drove on. Renée looked around to gauge where he was taking her. She didn't ask questions, knowing his reply.

They left the marketplace and drove far ahead until they reached a little diner, Big Paws tucked away in a corner on the banks of a distributary of the Missouri River. It was a family-owned place and a little further away from Fordsville, so no one knew them here. Sawyer parked his truck and led her into the diner. It was quite empty, with only a family of five sitting at a table.

"The food is excellent here. Rhett had brought me here once. He's a regular here," said Sawyer. Renée looked around the cozy little place and selected a table further away from the family.

"This is so cozy. Can we sit at the riverside after dinner?" asked Renée, peering out of the window at the river.

"Wait and watch what I've planned," said Sawyer with a grin. They ordered their food. Sawyer opted for their specialty: slow-roasted prime rib served with vegetables, mashed potatoes and country gravy clubbed with a wholesome soup and cornbread muffins. Renée opted for their chicken pot pie.

"I've always wanted to bring you here. Finally, that wish has come true," said Sawyer. Renée looked at him in disbelief.

"You wanted to bring me here? But you used to ignore me." Sawyer shrugged with a smile on his face.

"I didn't have a choice, Ren. You were a child and the most precious girl for me. I couldn't do anything else but let you grow up."

"I'm grown-up now. In a few months, I'll be an adult. Can we please get married?" Sawyer chuckled.

"Before we get married, I want to do something on my own. I want to buy my ranch and be capable of supporting my family without having to depend upon your family."

"Oh, that'll take a long time, Sawyer," said Renée, feeling extremely frustrated.

"We can wait for one another, Ren. This is very important to me. I want to make myself capable for you." His eyes searched hers for reassurance, and Renée held his hand in her own.

"I'll wait for you, Sawyer. I'm with you in anything you do." Sawyer caught her hand and threaded his fingers through hers.

"Thanks for understanding. Your support means a lot to me," said Sawyer, his eyes twinkling with hope. Their food arrived, and it was simply out of the world. They talked about what Sawyer wanted to do at his dream ranch. He wanted to buy the ranch beside theirs that would be up for sale in a couple of years. They thought of a name for it, Happy Dreamz Ranch, and Renée was in love with it already. They planned on having lots of furry friends for their children to play with.

"Scarlett and Rodney would love to play with their pets," said Renée with a shy giggle. Sawyer froze midway, holding a fork full mid air!

"Who are Scarlett and Rodney?" he asked with wide eyes.

"Our children, silly," said Renée with a giggle. Sawyer chuckled too.

"Only two? What about Sylvester and Raelyn?" asked Sawyer with a laugh. Renée's eyes widened with disbelief.

"Four kids?" she asked, her head swooning already. Sawyer chuckled at her reaction.

"We'll see about that." His smile reached his eyes, showing how happy he was. They finished dinner and walked out hand in hand towards the river banks. There were people from the diner, laughing and taking selfies, drinking and enjoying themselves. Sawyer led her towards a relatively quieter side and they found an enormous boulder to sit on.

Sawyer pulled her towards his side, his arm going around her shoulder. Renée rested her head against his broad shoulder and watched the river with its gurgling water shining under the moonlit sky. The huge cottonwood, willow and dogwood trees lining the other side of the river stood tall in the dark, swaying a little now and then.

"When are you planning to buy our Happy Dreamz Ranch?" she asked eagerly.

"I spoke to its owner yesterday. He wants to sell it after two to three years. He's planning to leave Fordsville forever," shrugged Sawyer. "It's good enough for me since I'll get some time to earn enough money to buy it." Renée nodded.

"Why can't you take a loan?"

"I'm planning to earn fifty percent and take a loan for the rest of the amount."

"You can take a loan from grand dad too," Renée suggested, but Sawyer shook his head.

"Let me do this on my own, please." Renée sighed.

"How will you earn so much, Sawyer?" He pulled her closer.

"I'll figure it out, love. Don't worry," he comforted her. "I can do anything for you." His mouth grazed the skin on her neck, his tongue trailing a line of fire down to the base.

Renée turned towards him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Anything?" she asked with fire in her eyes. Sawyer nodded with an equal amount of enthusiasm.

"Yes, try me," he whispered.

"Kiss me then," she whispered back, and he grinned, dipping his head towards her. He claimed her lips gently, and she moaned into his mouth with pleasure. However, to their horror, before they could deepen the kiss to a new level, a group of rowdy cowboys walked towards the diner and the river banks, drinking, yelling obscenities and cackling with laughter.

Sawyer released her immediately. "Let's go home. This place isn't safe for you now." Renée nodded, her eyes going wide with fright. The group went inside the diner to order their food and, seeing their opportunity, they rushed back towards Sawyer's truck and drove away.

Renée was underage, and her gorgeous looks attracted a lot of unnecessary attention towards her. He didn't want to take a risk. It was better to go home since it was already 9 o'clock. But both of them were disappointed at being interrupted.

Sawyer cursed the men in his mind. He needed that kiss badly. It was his only drug. So, seeing a small path leading off the highway towards a small creek, he steered off the road and drove towards it. Renée looked around in confusion.

"Where are we going, Sawyer?" Sawyer smiled and switched off the ignition.

"No where," he said with a twinkle in his eyes. "Come here."

Renée's eyes widened. 'Here? Where?'

He indicated his lap with a smouldering look in his eyes. Renée blushed, realizing that she had said it aloud. She got up and shifted towards him, but he lost his patience and pulled her onto his lap. Renée pulled her dress, which rode high up as she straddled him, her face inches away from his. Sawyer pulled her into his body, not leaving a single inch between themselves.

His hand trailed along her creamy, smooth thighs. "So beautiful," he murmured, as if in a trance. His hand went up to her neck, holding her head as his thumb caressed her lips, parting them, teasing them. "What do you want me to do, love? Tell me else I won't do it," he whispered hoarsely, his thumb drawing e*otic circles on her thighs.

"Continue with that kiss, please," she said shyly. She couldn't say anything more than that. She wasn't that bold. Sawyer pulled her head, angling it to meet his hungry kiss, and he smashed his mouth to hers.

Renée too fisted her hands into his hair, wanting to get more. She eagerly opened her mouth to him, and he plunged his tongue into her sweet mouth, devouring her, tasting her thoroughly. His hands roamed about her body, touching her gorgeous curves from above her clothes. He knew she was still young and he wouldn't take advantage of her now.

Renée moaned and kissed him back, biting his lower lip, eliciting a deep moan from him too. The passionate kiss continued until they were too breathless to continue further. Sawyer released her and placed her down, calming himself before driving home.

Afterwards, as he drove, Renée felt sad that their first date was over. She wanted to do so many things with him. "It got over so soon," she pouted. Sawyer smiled at her with tenderness.

"Did you enjoy yourself? We couldn't do much as we had a time limitation."

"I loved it Sawyer. I didn't want it to end so soon."

"Don't worry, we'll have another date next weekend," he promised her. Renée's eyes shone with excitement.

"That would be great. Can we go in the daytime, please?" Sawyer nodded.

"Sure, love," he agreed.