A/N: I own nothing.

A/N: A/U.

"River, wake up. Come on, Baby, wake up."

River Bennett opened her eyes and looked at the clock.

"Rooster," she sighed. "It's four thirty in the morning."

"You married a rooster, what do you expect?" he replied with a laugh. He kissed her neck and ran his hand up her leg. "I want you."

"I want to sleep," she whined, but was already turning toward him.

"I don't see why we can't both get what we want," he replied.

She snorted with laughter. "You're an idiot." She slipped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. Truth was, she didn't mind the early wake up, besides, she knew he would be up for work at 5 so it wasn't that early for him. "I love you, Jamie."

"I love you, too," he said, pushing her night shirt up her legs. "Can we do it now?"

"So romantic too," she rolled her eyes. "How did I ever get so lucky?"

When she woke up again, it was half past eight. She always slept in on Fridays. She had to work late on Thursdays, getting both the bills out to clients and payroll out to the employees for her Grandfather's veterinary clinic. Last night, it had been past one when she'd finally gotten to bed. But, Granddaddy did give her Friday, as well as the weekends off, so she didn't mind too much. She took a shower and padded downstairs in her bare feet. A fire was roaring in the fire place of the old ranch house and there was coffee in the pot.

She poured a cup of coffee, doctored it heavily with cream and sugar then took her laptop over to the big chair by the fire and curled up with a blanket to do the books for ranch.

It never took long this time of year. After paying all the bills were paid there was little left. In fact, she thought as she stared at the numbers in front of her, they would be about fifty dollars short of even paying all the bills this month. Cows could go to market in two more months, but until then, it was going to be tight.

She stared at the computer, trying to decide how to make the numbers come out even. They could delay payment to the feed store again. The owner always offered credit to ranchers this time of year, but they had done that last three months and she hated telling Mr. Beau that he needed to go in sign the promissory note every month.

Finally, she got online and pulled up her and Rooster's private bank account. They had about two thousand in checking and fifteen thousand in savings. When they moved in with Beau six months before, they had four thousand in checking and twenty five in savings, but this wasn't the first time she had used their private accounts to bail Iron River out. She sighed and paid the utilities and feed store off online before pulling Mr. Beau's check book out of her brief case and wrote out checks for everything else.

She smiled, remembering the first time Mrs. Maggie had seen her do that to pay Dale after he'd come out to deliver a breech calf.

"Damn," Maggie said. "He must really trust you. We were married three years before he let me write a check on the Iron River account."

River had laughed. "Well, I guess it pays to have a daughter-in-law who is an accountant."

"Yeah, that you're an accountant is probably a strike against you in his book," Maggie shot back. She kissed the top of River's head. "But I love you, Sweetie."

River got back to work on a few more accounts that she worked for on the side of her granddaddy's veterinary clinic and the ranch. It was just past eleven when she got done. The fire was down to embers and what was left of her coffee had long since grown cold. She put away her computer and stood up, stretching. She folded her blanket and took her cup over to the sink. She washed the few dishes in there, made a new pot of coffee, then started lunch. Lunch was at exactly twelve pm. Dinner was at six. Breakfast was whenever Mr. Beau decided it was time for him and Rooster to get to work.

She was bent down, getting a pan out of a low cabinet when she heard the back door open and shut.

"Damn that's a fine sight. Stay just like that," Rooster smirked. He set the firewood he was carrying beside the fireplace before walking over and swatting her behind lightly.

"Jamie," she said, trying to sound irritated. She stood up and he pushed her back against the counter, kissing her, and sliding his hands under the edge of her sweater.

"Oh, your hands are cold, get them off me," she squealed. "Go stoke the fire and warm up." she pushed him away.

"Yes ma'am," he laughed, grabbing her rear again as he walked away.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. They had been married fifteen years but he

acted like they were still high school most days.

"What are you doing this afternoon?" he asked, walking up behind her and slipping his arms around her waist as she cooked. "I'm supposed to go check the fence line at the north end. Want to go with me?" He dipped his head to kiss the hollow of her neck.

"Wish I could," she replied, reaching one hand up to her run her fingers through his curly hair. "But I have to do the shopping and I told Ms. Maggie I would fill in for Marie at the bar tonight."

"So, we're going to sex in the office again is what you're saying," he said.

"If you're a good boy," she replied with a grin. "Here, set the table. The sooner lunch is over, the sooner I'll be waiting for you at the bar."

"Where is River?" Rooster asked.

"Kitchen," Maggie said, not taking her eyes off Colt.

Rooster went behind the bar, through the doors to small kitchen. He stopped and watched with a smile. River had her earbuds in, lost in her own little world, dancing to the music only she could hear as she cleaned up the grill. She jumped when he touched her but he pulled her in arms and moved her across the floor in slow two step. Seeing it was just him, she smiled and put her arms around his neck letting him lead her for a moment before stopping and pulling her earbuds out.

"Hey, babe," she said. "What's up?"

"Well, I was going to tell you to come see Colt, but now I think I want to visit the office," he smirked.

"Colt's home?" she asked.

"He has a tryout in Denver tomorrow and needed a place to stay," he answered.

"How did that go?"

"As bad as you think and then some," he replied.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. If Colt's here, Dad's not mad at me," Rooster shrugged. "Come on and say hi."

"There's my favorite sister-in-law," Colt said as River walked into the bar room.

She hugged him and let him kiss her cheek. "How are you, Colt?"

"Good, good," he said. "Got a tryout tomorrow."

"Yeah, Jamie told me that," she said. "Good luck. I better get back to work."

When River got home, all the lights in the barn were on. A heifer was in labor and the calf was stuck.

"Need me to call Granddaddy?" she asked.

"Not yet," Beau answered. "If Colt can't get the ropes on we may have to though."

"I'll get it," Colt snapped.

"Let me know," she said. She walked in the house.

"Hi." Heather Roth was sitting on the sofa.

"Hi," she said.

"I'm waiting for Colt," Heather said.

"I figured," River said. "You know, Colt's going to be busy for a while and well, he's not going to smell too good when he comes back in."

"That's okay," she answered. "I don't mind waiting. It's Colt Bennett after all."

"Yeah, okay," River replied with a shake of her head. Maybe it was because she'd been with Jamie since Colt was just a skinny geeky guy with acne, but she never got the whole 'Colt Bennett' phenomenon. In eighth grade Colt had been just Colt. Then in his first high school football game in ninth grade, he ran for a touchdown from the other team's ten yard line, won the game, and became the town hero. She filled the coffee maker and turned it on, knowing Beau and Jamie would want some after being out. "Want some coffee?"

"Oh, no ma'am," Heather said. "Thanks though."

"Well, if you change your mind, cups are in that cabinet," she pointed. "I'm going to take a bath. I smell like the bar."

"It was good to see you ma'am," Heather said, cheerfully.

Ma'am. The woman about to sleep with Colt called her ma'am. She quickly showered and got ready for bed.

She was almost asleep when Jamie finally came inside.

"Everything okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, Carla and calf are fine," he said. "Colt is a different story."

"Well, Heather will solve his problems I'm sure," she yawned.

"Not if she smells him," Rooster laughed.

"Apparently that doesn't matter when it's Colt Bennett."

"She hasn't smelled that stink."

"You didn't give him a glove?" River laughed.

"What fun would that be?" He grinned.

River laughed again. "She called me ma'am. Twice. Colt is dating someone young enough to think she should call me ma'am."

"Well, you may be old enough to be a ma'am to her, but she's sleeping with Colt so you know her judgment isn't the best," Rooster said, sliding into bed beside her. "Besides, even if you are a ma'am, you're the hottest ma'am I know."

"Idiot," she laughed.

Please R and R.