Only You (Love In Montana Book 6)

"No you don't, Sawyer. I know that you hate me," Renée said brokenly, getting up and running towards the house far away from where they were. She wouldn't listen to his lies. His behavior for the last four years proved that 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 caught hold of her hand.

"Leave me Sawyer. Coming back was a mistake. I should have stayed in Helena forever!" She yelled hysterically, trying 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 said, stroking her hair and 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 that 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, " he told her softly. 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 told him, trying to avoid his eyes. Sawyer felt restless at her behavior. He wanted her to realize how much he cared for her because he couldn't confess his love for her ever but instead she was running away from him.

"Where's your horse?" He asked her, looking around.

"Cinnamon's unwell. She had given birth two days back. I didn't want to ride any other horse, 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 said, pulling her towards the place where Challenger was tied. He hoisted her up and climbed on behind 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 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 to.

"Why are you so quiet?" Asked Sawyer, 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," she told him shyly. Sawyer chuckled.

"You've changed Ren. You were a chatterbox, the last time I saw you," said Sawyer not understanding that this extremely quiet girl was really the Renée he knew. She would always talk non stop. Chatting and talking were her favorite thing to do. But now he noticed that she had grown and matured more but quietened down considerably to the extent that he couldn't associate her with the old Renée he knew.

"Maybe. Situations change us," she said, quietly into the night. Challenger just trotted comfortably, not in any haste to go home.

"Do situations change our feelings too, Ren?" Asked Sawyer,  his face inches from hers. He couldn't help but ask the question that 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, " she 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, peeping into the pan.

"Your favorite pork chops," said aunt Katherine with a smile. Renée's mouth watered as she smelled the delicious aroma of a homemade meal.

"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?" She asked with a pleading look on her face. 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 everyday and soon you'll learn everything, " assured her aunt.

"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 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 that Matt liked her and Ryder and he had a fight too 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, " she told him. Matt appreciated her choice of career.

"So you want to be a psychologist?" Asked Matt with interest.

"Yeah," said Renée.

"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 in general, 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 together. 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.