There she stood with a dead coyote at her feet, a pink pistol in her right hand, three bluetick hound pups cowering behind her, and cradling a baby in her left arm.

"Natalie?" He raised an eyebrow and blinked sleet from his eyelashes. Yesterday he had awakened to overbearing heat in Kuwait, and today Texas was colder than a mother–in–law's kiss on the North Pole. Maybe he was seeing things due to the abrupt change in weather. She looked like the woman he'd been talking to via the Internet for the past eleven months, but he hadn't expected her to be so tall, and he damn sure had not expected her to be holding a baby or a pistol.

She whipped around and raised the gun until it was aimed straight at his chest. "Who the hell... oh, my God... you are early, Lucas. Surprise!" she said.

"Yes, ma'am," he drawled. "I guess I am, but you aren't supposed to be here for two more days."

"We were working on a big surprise for your homecoming. Hazel was going to make your favorite foods and we had a banner made and I heard a noise and the coyote had the puppies cornered and..." She stopped and stared at him as if she expected him to disappear.

She caught her breath and went on. "Why in the hell didn't you tell us you were coming home early? You've ruined everything."

"It's my ranch. It's my house and I can come home when I damn well please," he said.

He looked from the baby to the dead coyote, to the puppies, finally meeting Natalie's big blue eyes staring at him across the six feet separating them. There'd been more warmth in her face when there were oceans and deserts separating them than he felt with only six feet between them.

The whole scenario he'd played out in his mind was shot to hell and back. She wouldn't take two steps forward, hug him, and then share an intimate, passionate kiss that said that yes, they had become more than Internet friends.

A whimper came from the blue bundle and she looked down at it. "I know you are hungry, son. We'll go inside in just a second."

Dammit!

He'd thought he'd found the right woman. Hell, he'd even entertained notions that she was the one. He'd been right all along: people were crazy to believe what they saw on the Net or to trust anyone they met on there, either.

"Joshua is hungry. Can you put these pups back in the pen? Sorry little critters dug out from under the fence and the coyote cornered them up by the porch," she said.

She damn sure looked different in real life with curves and legs that went from earth all the way to heaven. She was stunning in those snug–fitting jeans, red flannel shirt, and thick brown hair floating in gentle waves down past her shoulders. How could he have not known she was pregnant?

Because you only saw her from the waist up and in pictures that she posted. Man, you got duped real good this time. Sucker!

"Well?" She shoved the pistol into the waistband of her jeans, shifted the baby to a more comfortable position, and headed toward the porch.

He dropped his canvas duffel on the icy ground. "I'll take care of the coyote and the pups. Then we've got some serious talking to do. Where are Grady and Gramps and Dad?"

"Grady took Henry home after supper. You hungry?"

Yes, he was hungry. He'd foregone supper until he got home because he couldn't wait to have Hazel's home–cooked food. But the way his stomach was churning around he wouldn't be able to swallow. A baby boy, for God's sake! And she never mentioned him one time.

"Hazel in the house?" he asked stiffly.

She stopped and turned. "No, she is not. I've got to get Joshua inside, though. He's cold. Just take care of those pups."

"Don't boss me, Natalie," he barked.

"I'm going inside. You can stay out here and freeze to death if you want, Lucas. The way you are acting, I don't reckon it'll be much warmer in the house when you get there anyway," she said.

He folded his arms across his chest. "And that is supposed to mean what?"

"Figure it out for yourself."

"Shit!" he mumbled under his breath.

He gathered up three wiggling bluetick hound pups and stomped toward the dog pens. What in the hell did she expect—a big old passionate kiss with a pistol and a baby between them?