Iron & Bone (Lock & Key #3)

“Two towns over from Meager, right? I’ve never been.”


“Not much to see, except for this great little cafe.”

Her hand stroked mine. “Is there a drugstore there, too?”





WE FINISHED OUR TERRIFIC, terrifically huge, breakfast at the small cafe in Pine Needle, and Boner brought me home. I was so relaxed, so full of food, so happy that the baby was fine and that Grace was relieved.

We stepped into Rae’s house and were met with quiet. A text from Penny when we’d left the cafe had told me that she had taken Becca to her house for the morning as Rae was tired and would bring her back around noon. I peeked into Rae’s room where the door was ajar. She was asleep.

“Poor thing. Last night must have really stressed her out. She never usually takes naps this early in the day.”

“This shit’s gotta be hard on her.”

“It is. She’s a tough lady, but your son is your son—not to mention, your only granddaughter. I’m so thirsty. That bacon did a number on me.”

I went into the kitchen, got a glass from the cabinet, and filled it with water from the faucet. Boner came up behind me as I drank, a hand moving around my middle. He swept my hair to the side and gently bit my neck, and a shiver raced over my skin.

My head fell back against his chest. “Bone.”

“Can’t get enough of you.” His hot breath fanned my neck. “But gotta get back to the club.”

“No time for a quickie?” I leaned over the counter and pushed back against him. I couldn’t help myself.

A groan and a long string of curses flew from his mouth as his hands rubbed my hips and down my ass. He ground himself against me. My one arm flew back and went around his neck.

His hand went under my skirt, between my legs.

“Bone, God—”

“Jill, honey, are you here?” came Rae’s tired voice from within the house.

I jerked like a live wire, and Boner’s body stiffened against me.

“I’m in the kitchen, Rae!” I called out. “Just cleaning up. Be there in a minute.”

Boner moved again, his erection grinding up against my ass.

“Take your time. Did they say if it’s going to rain today, honey?” asked Rae from her bedroom as the voices of chirpy morning news reporters flared from her television set.

Boner pulled my skirt up further, and his hands ran up my bare thighs.

“I-I’m not sure!” I said.

He tore down my panties to my knees.

I sucked in air, my hands clinging to the edge of the counter. “Would you like a cup of tea, Rae?” My voice strained.

“Sounds perfect,” she replied.

I leaned over on a groan and filled the electric kettle with water. I jammed it in its base and flipped the switch on it.

He kneaded my ass, tightly squeezing the flesh. I moaned as his fingers teased my rear entrance, slid down into my wetness. My skin heated with the promise of more.

His teeth sank into my ass cheek, and I let out a groan. I lifted myself up on my toes as he licked me, his fingers working me. This was something off the charts, something that satisfied another part of me, not just getting to the big O. I gasped at the torrent of pleasure thundering through me, my body a mass of electricity.

The kettle beeped, and as if on cue, I came.

He released his grip on me. His warm tongue snaked over the curve of my ass, lavishing the bite mark he’d undoubtedly left behind. That mouth then made a trail up my lower back. I held myself up at the sink, my legs wobbling, the room spinning at his sudden gentleness.

He chuckled, his face in my neck, and inhaled deeply, as if he were committing my scent to memory, feeding some sort of essential hunger. He let go of me, washed his hands at the sink, and splashed water over his face. I handed him a couple of paper towels, and he rubbed his face dry as I fixed my skirt.

“You going?” I was in a haze.

“Yeah, baby, I got to get to work.” He grinned. Devilish and playful all at once. “And you have tea to make.”

Right, the tea.

Boner let out a laugh and planted a kiss on my forehead. He headed out the back door.

“Wait!” I lunged at him, throwing my arms around his neck.

His eyes met mine, his hands pressing in at my sides. A slow smile lit up his face. He was surprised.

So was I.

I brushed his lips with mine. “Have a good day at the office, dear.”

His body shook with laughter.





JIMMY FALLON TAPPED through a song-and-dance routine with a celebrity who was promoting his new movie.

Click.

A Republican senator defended his harsh comments against the Democratic governor of his state.

Click.

Ugly gold hoop earrings with diamond chips were bargain-priced on a home shopping channel.

Click.

A hard-rock music video from the ’80s. The drummer shook his head so hard that all his crimped long hair rippled in his face as he banged on the drums, his sweaty arms shining in the colored lights swirling over him.

“Whoa.”

Cat Porter's books