Provocation SAMPLE (Book 3 of The Conquest Series)

Chapter One

"Come here, ya little rug rat," Carl chuckled as he slowly followed his giggling infant son across the living room floor. He exaggeratedly pretended he was too slow to catch the 9-month-old as he crawled over thick, carpeted floors. Mason thought he was getting one over on his father and giggled with unfettered glee as his chubby arms and legs propelled him across the room.

"Stop playing around. He needs to eat," Violet admonished Carl, frowning. She didn't know who was worse, the baby or Carl. Both were difficult to pin down in any situation. Bath times, mealtimes, bedtimes—well, maybe not so much bedtimes with Carl. Beds meant sex to him, and he took advantage—at every juncture—of a nice, soft bed.

"Five more minutes, Mom," Carl called to Violet as he folded himself to the floor to crawl after Mason. It seemed to light a fire under the baby's tiny rump, and his limbs spraddled as he tried to get away.

Violet watched as the two of them crawled away on all fours.

"Be honest," Leila said with a chuckle. "Which is the bigger child, Mason or Carl?"

"Physically, it's Carl," Violet told her as she set down a dish of pasta for them to all eat. "Mentally...still Carl."

Leila hooted with laughter at her friend. With Violet's budding career as a Family and Marriage Counselor and Leila's work as an architect, it was hard for the two of them to make time to see each other. Add on a sophomoric fiancé and a baby, and it was almost an impossibility.

"Oh, did I tell you that my brother is back in The States?" Violet asked as she twirled a bit of fettuccine on her fork.

"No, you didn't," Leila said with a frown. "You only live within twenty minutes from me and yet you are the world's worst correspondent."

"I know, I know," Violet muttered and placed a forkful of food in her mouth.

"Is he here for the wedding or will he become a permanent fixture in our lives?"

"I'm here for good, if you're talking about me," Carl spoke. He was carrying a wriggling Mason in his arms as he came into the room and bent over with the child to kiss Violet's temple.

"Why would we talk about you?" Violet asked. "You're here and you've got my anchor to you in your arms."

Carl placed Mason in his high chair and smiled. "Yes, I sure did trap you with this little guy, didn't I?"

"Isn't it the female that's supposed to trap the unconquerable man?" Leila asked with a smirk.

"Not in this case," Carl retorted. "I had to impregnate her before she got smart and realized she could do better than a recovering manwhore. Plus, I didn't even have to try. I have super sperm to spare."

"Little ears," Violet warned him, pointing to Mason.

"What? It's not a curse word," Carl told her and sat down next to Mason, who had a bottle in front of him and some baby food in a tray. "If it makes you feel better, I can call it ejaculate."

"What would make me feel better is if we dropped the subject of your baby batter while I'm eating," Leila tossed back. "Talking ejaculate while eating fettuccine alfredo is making me want to gag."

"Fine. Consider the topic of my super swimmers to be dropped," he remarked and went to pick up a tiny little spoon so he could feed Mason. Leila wanted to laugh since his hands were almost too large for the task.

"So...back to my bro—" Violet began to say.

"Ah, my second favorite topic of conversation," Leila interrupted. "My gag reflex is hereby maxed out."