Author's Note - This takes place in approximately 2007, about 10 years after Beth & Rip's first meeting at the ranch and 10 years before the start of Season 1. In my headcanon, Rip is about 2 years older than Beth, so it would make them approximately 26 and 24 years old, respectively. This is something I just cooked up, thinking about Beth being away at college, finishing up her MBA, and Rip surprising her to celebrate her graduation. Reviews are love!

Chapter 1

"Come see me sometime," Beth had said as she tucked a tiny slip of paper into Rip's jean pocket after a quick rendezvous in his old tack room in the barn. He was still trying to catch his breath as she gave him a quick peck on the cheek, buttoned her pants, and slipped out the door silently, leaving him to wonder how he had gotten lucky enough for a second invite, rather than a casual, "See you around." Beth had been home for a quick weekend to celebrate Lee's birthday, but Rip knew she wouldn't be around for long. That night while he was in the bunkhouse, his cell phone had rung once, and when he saw "Beth Dutton - Missed Call," he knew to meet her in his old room - their own secret signal.

He leaned up against the wall and dug the slip of paper from his pocket and unfolded it. On it was written an address in Missoula - her off-campus apartment, he assumed. He traced her flowery script with his finger and smiled to himself. It had taken her almost two years to tell him where she lived - she usually played things so close to the chest and never let on to where she actually was at any given moment, so this was a huge step for her. It made him realize that she thought about him when she was away, and his smile widened. Rip refolded the paper and stowed it in his wallet. He would save that for later.

Now, about two months later, he drove down I-90 towards Missoula just past Livingston. He picked up his cell phone and dialed Beth's number, let it ring once, and hung up. The ranch was quiet this weekend, and he knew he could slip away with one of the ranch trucks without anyone really missing him. He had cleared it with Lloyd, of course, who had given him a knowing grin and a nod when Rip had asked if he could be gone for a couple of nights. He threw a few clean shirts and a clean pair of jeans in a bag and was gone before anyone knew it.

Rip absent-mindedly scratched at his new beard - he hadn't gotten used to it yet, and it itched like the dickens. The other guys in the bunkhouse said that it would stop itching once it grew out a little more, but damn if it didn't bother the hell out of him. If Beth didn't like it, he wasn't going to waste any time shaving the motherfucker off.

After about an hour of driving, his phone rang once, then was silent. As he reached for it, he knew what he'd see when he flipped it open. 1 missed call from Beth Dutton. Rip smiled widely and tossed the phone into the passenger seat, pressing his foot down a little harder on the accelerator.

Back in Missoula, Beth was starting to feel the weight of her MBA program lifting the closer she got to graduation. Her grades were excellent, she had a sweet job lined up at the Los Angeles office of Schwartz & Meyer…things seemed to be falling into place for her to live her life away from the Yellowstone like she wanted. She had a feeling that she'd hate L.A., but it would be a perfect stepping stone into a different position in New York or someplace even further away from the clutches of her family ranch.

She had just finished making plans with some guy she had met the night before (Tucker? Todd?) when her cell phone rang once, then stopped. Beth's heart leapt. When she saw the "Rip Wheeler - Missed Call" on her screen, a small girlish giggle escaped from her lips. That tiny scrap of paper she had passed him in the barn had done its work - Rip was on his way to see her. She checked the clock - 4 pm. If he had called her right when he left the ranch, he'd be here before 8. She didn't want to seem too eager, so she told herself she wouldn't respond until later.

Beth tried to busy herself around her apartment, but her attempts at housekeeping were feeble at best, and she kept glancing at the clock every three minutes. After pouring herself a small glass of whiskey she reached for her phone, dialed Rip's number, and hung up quickly, smiling to herself. There - now she could sit back and relax until he arrived. Beth decided to change into one of Rip's shirts she had pilfered over the years, and snuggled into her couch to finish one last program-required book.

Too early for it to be Rip, a knock sounded at Beth's door. "Fuuuuck," she groaned. She had forgotten all about Todd or Tucker or whatever the hell his name was. She opened the door to find the tall, blonde pretty boy she had met at her neighborhood bar when she had stopped in for a post-class cocktail. He was nice enough, but really, she only gave him her number so he would leave her be so she could drink her drink. He looked like he could be good for a quick, satisfactory fuck, but that was it. Now that she had Rip on the way, though, the thoughts of a tumble with Blondie had evaporated.

"Hey," she said, standing on the threshold in Rip's shirt, her long legs and feet bare. She didn't have on any underwear underneath it, so she was careful not to lift her arms too high. Todd/Tucker didn't deserve a peek. "Tonight's not going to work - something came up."

Blondie looked confused. "But…we just talked a couple of hours ago?" Beth rolled her eyes.

"Look, I'm not into it anymore, kid. Get lost." She started closing the door just as his sounds of protest began - she didn't care in the slightest. She had something better to look forward to.

A short time after Blondie beat it, Beth heard a low, bass rumble of a diesel truck outside in her complex parking lot. Her heart skipped a beat and her toes curled involuntarily. It took everything she had not to throw open her door immediately in welcome. She made herself walk slowly to the kitchen to get the bottle of whiskey and a glass for Rip. Then, a knock sounded.

Rip stood at Beth's door, overnight bag in hand, his head down and eyes hiding under his hat. He could hear her walking on the other side, and then the door swung open.

She was gloriously half-dressed, wearing one of his favorite shirts. Of course, it was his favorite because she looked so amazing in it, and why he let her steal it all those years ago. He allowed himself to slowly look from her bare feet up her legs to where the shirt swelled over her full breasts, the buttons straining. Her blonde hair was longer than she usually kept it, and it was artfully tousled. Rip couldn't wait to get his hands in it. Her blue eyes sparkled, crinkling at the corners as she smiled at him.

"Hey, cowboy," Beth said huskily.

"Hey, yourself. Surprise," he replied. He shifted his weight under her gaze. "Can I come in?"

Beth couldn't take her eyes off him. She had noticed when she was home last that he wasn't a boy anymore and a full-grown man stood in front of her now. He was all broad shoulders and muscles; strong, but not bulky. His jacket stretched as he moved, and the way he looked up at her from under the brim of his hat nearly brought her to her knees. God, he was sexy.

"Come in, yeah," she finally said, stepping back so he could brush past her and into the living room. She couldn't resist watching as he walked by, staring at the way his jeans curved over his ass. She wanted to jump his bones right then and there.

"Help yourself," Beth said as she gestured toward the whiskey bottle on the coffee table. Rip dropped his bag on the floor and reached up to take off his hat, his other hand raking through his dark curls. It was the first time she noticed his beard, and she drifted towards him like a magnet, her hand lifting and cupping his face, her fingers threading through the coarse hairs and tugging gently. "This is new."

Rip reached up and scratched his chin, brushing her hand with his. "You like it? I'm still on the fence."

"I do," she said, scratching softly. "It makes you look so grown up. Guess we're not kids anymore, are we?" Rip chuckled and met her eyes with his, his hand reaching up to cover hers that still laid on his cheek.

"Guess not." They both stood there, eyes locked, lust rolling off of each of them in waves. Beth's lips parted slightly like she had something to say, but her mind was a complete blank. All she could do was look at him and think about how much she wanted him.

Rip tore his eyes away from hers, and focused on her lips, full and blush pink, shining in the lamplight of the room, when she suddenly spoke.

"You going to kiss me hello?" Beth whispered, her eyes catching his again and her hand drifting down from his face to the back of his neck to twine into his hair. Rip said nothing, just placed a hand on her hip and crashed his lips to hers.

This, this was what she wanted. She leaned into him and his kiss, her mouth opening and letting his tongue dance with hers. His hands started to roam around her body, starting at her hips, then slipping below his shirt that she wore, cupping her ass and pulling her to him. She could feel how hard he already was against her, and she gasped, pulling away slightly from their kiss. Her hands gripped his shoulders, and she ground her center against him, a soft sigh escaping from her lips. Rip's eyes were hooded, and his grip on her bottom tightened with each roll of her hips against him. She hoped he'd leave little fingertip bruises there so she had something to remind her later.

Rip nuzzled her neck, leaving soft, wet kisses along her exposed collarbone, and Beth threw her head back with a groan. His new beard brushed against the sensitive skin of her neck and chest deliciously, soft and prickly at the same time. She wanted more.

Breaking away abruptly, she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the couch, pushing him down so she could straddle his lap. "Are you here all weekend?" Beth asked breathlessly as she started undoing the buttons to his shirt. Rip nodded and pulled all the snaps open on her shirt, exposing her completely.

"I can be if you want me to," he responded, capturing a hard nipple between his lips and sucking gently. She made a soft squeaking sound and sighed as she relaxed into him. He could feel her radiating heat from her center against his already-aching erection. His hands continued to roam all over her soft skin as he lavished attention to one nipple, then the other, as she pushed his shirt down his arms.

"I want you to be," she whispered, gripping his shoulders as he drew hard on her nipple, reaching up and pinching the other one slightly. Beth tossed her head back and groaned, rolling her hips against his once more. His hips bucked involuntarily and she could feel him moan against her breast.

"God, I want you," she gasped. "Now." She reached down and frantically undid his pants, pushing the belt buckle, button, and zipper away so she could palm his cock, beautiful and hard and all hers. She gripped him firmly and he groaned against her breast again, his hips bucking up again.

"Please," Rip murmured against her. Her teasing was killing him.

Beth positioned him against her center, rubbing the head of his cock up and down her wet folds a few times before rising up on her knees and sinking down onto him. They both sighed in relief as her hot wetness surrounded him and Rip released her nipple to throw his head back and look at her.

Above him, Beth's eyes were closed in bliss, her hands braced on his shoulders as she started to move. Rip's hands came to rest on her hips, bracing her against him with every upward thrust he made. Her breasts bounced and he couldn't resist reaching up and cupping one, rolling her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. A long moan escaped from her throat, and her pace above him increased. She was so tight around him and Rip had to concentrate hard on not coming.

As Beth moved above him, she could feel the tightening spring of her orgasm coiling tightly in her belly, a hot flush moving in waves over her skin. Rip's hands on her felt heavenly, anchoring her to him, and every roll of her hips against him stoked the fire that was building inside her.

Rip suddenly reached down to where they were joined and grazed her clit with his thumb. He was rewarded with an uncontrolled jerk of her hips and a startled squeak that morphed into a long groan of pleasure. She pressed harder into his hand, and he circled her clit with more intention. He started to thrust up into her in time with her own movements, and suddenly she was there, her orgasm hitting her suddenly, moving through her like electric shocks. Rip's orgasm followed as she continued to move over him, extending her pleasure. He pulsed into her as her walls continued to flutter around him.

Moments passed and they clung to each other, both trying to catch their breath. Rip pressed kisses onto the soft skin of her neck and breasts as Beth's hands roamed underneath his undershirt. "Welcome to Missoula," she whispered against his hair, lightly scratching his back with her nails. Rip shivered and laughed softly.

"I'm so glad you're in charge of the welcome wagon," he joked. Beth pulled away and pressed a sweet kiss to his lips. She reached for her discarded shirt and put her arms through it, doing up just one snap to keep it from falling off. She moved to stand, and Rip groaned in disappointment as he slipped out of her. She giggled as he tucked himself back into his pants and redid his button and zipper.

"You hungry?" Beth asked as she poured whiskey into the two tumblers on the table. She offered one to Rip and he took it eagerly. "I could order a pizza or something. So we don't have to go out." Rip nodded.

"That would be nice - we can't get good pizza at the ranch," he said as he took a sip. Beth hummed in agreement and walked towards her kitchen for the menu. Rip knew at that moment that he had definitely made the right decision to come this weekend.