Skylar (The Love Family Series Book 1) Read Online Free

for him. He dialed the concierge at the hotel. “Stanley, this is Mr. Tanner. Is everything set for tonight?”
    “Yes, sir. We have your table reserved and the flowers you requested are waiting in your room. Did you need me to handle something else, sir?”
    “No, thank you. I’ll handle the rest. Thanks for your help.”
    “You’re welcome, sir.”
    Luke hung up and called Declan. “Love.”
    “You working tonight?” Luke asked.
    “Why? You getting butterflies for your date?”
    “Screw you.”
    Declan chuckled. “Yeah, I’m at the office assigning officers their work zones. You’d be surprised how they fight like children over who gets the beach detail at the clubs during spring break.”
    “I’m surprised you’re not handling that yourself.”
    “Bite me.”
    Luke chuckled. “Not working the beat was a sacrifice of taking the job of sheriff.”
    “Someone’s got to do it. Might as well be me.”
    “There’s no one better, my man. Listen, I need a favor.”
    “What’s up?”
    “I need the history on the Dagger building. I hear that the last owners were being held for murder or had legal issues.”
    “That’s an understatement. One of the construction workers showed up for work one morning to find a dead guy, with two bullet holes to the chest, lying just inside the building.”
    “And you think the previous owners did it?”
    “The gun was found hidden at their house, and they didn’t have an alibi. To top it off, the man murdered was their accountant, and they were cooking the books. So regardless of the circumstantial evidence, they’re still looking at doing time. They’d signed over ownership to their daughter, Megan Dagger, before the shit hit the fan and their property was seized.”
    “I’m thinking about setting up another lab.”
    The line went quiet. Luke had been planning on keeping the news below the radar until names were signed on the dotted line, but there was little he kept from his best friend.
    “Is it because of Skylar?”
    “Maybe. Look, it’s not just because of Sky. It’s a good business move too. I’m not thinking with my johnson.”
    “Dude, I don’t want to hear about your johnson and my sister in the same sentence…ever.”
    Luke chuckled as he turned into the resort. “I’ve got to go get ready. How about hanging out tomorrow and watching the game?”
    “My place?”
    “Do you even have to ask? I’m homeless, remember?”
    “You own at least five houses. You aren’t homeless.”
    “On the island I am.”
    Declan chuckled. “Luke, don’t forget this is my sister you’re taking out tonight. She isn’t one of your floozies from New York. If you hurt her…”
    “If I hurt her, you can beat my ass until I’m black and blue. Enough said?”
    “Yeah, enough said.”
    ****
    Sky slipped her fingers into the limo driver’s hand and stepped out onto the sidewalk. When she’d said she’d meet him at the restaurant, this wasn’t what she had in mind. But here she was, going on a date with a man scheduled to leave in one week’s time. She slid her hand down her black ankle-length skirt before resting her hand on her stomach. She could do this. She’d eaten with Luke numerous times. She pulled at the hem on the matching top while questioning her choice of outfits. Her bed lay full of other discarded choices, from sexy dresses to casual pants. The two-piece skirt and top combo looked classy with a hint of sexy on the side.
    The silky black and white material clung to her curves in all of the right places giving a glimpse of the prizes beneath, yet the length flowed to her feet with style and grace. Luke stood waiting in the lobby in a black business suit. He fidgeted with his Persian blue tie, pulling at the knot before straightening it again. The color matched not only his eyes, but the surrounding energy ribbons. She watched him through the glass front entrance, his nervous habits easy to spot. He turned his wrist, checking that the cufflinks were