HUNTER (The Caine Brothers Book 1) by Margaret Madigan Read Free Book Online

several yards away. The rhythmic crashing of waves onto the white sandy beach was better than any muted dinner music.
    Hunter held her chair for her while she sat, then took his own. Normally, she didn’t appreciate those kind of gentlemanly gestures because they reduced her, as a woman, to someone who couldn’t do for herself. It implied she was fragile, helpless, and needed caring for. But with Hunter, the gesture felt intimate, made her feel feminine but not unequal. She was perfectly capable of holding her own with him, and would just as likely hold the door for him and not think anything of it.
    A waiter approached the table and handed them menus. He told them the special, the soup of the day, and asked for their beverage order.
    Hunter requested the sommelier, and once they had wine and dinner ordered, they were finally alone. Allison fiddled with her silverware. Now that they were in public, things between them felt awkward. It was easy to tease and play sexy games in private, but while in public they had to behave. That meant normal conversation.
    “It’s a beautiful evening.” She cringed. Small talk sucked. “I’ve never been to Costa Rica. I didn’t know what to expect, beyond ‘tropical’.”
    “I’ve never been here, either. When I travel it’s usually for business, and I don’t spend a lot of time sightseeing.”
    “Technically, this is a business trip, too, but lucky for us it involves sightseeing and recreation and good food.”
    “True.”
    As if taking his cue from her words, the wine steward reappeared and they went through the process of sniffing and tasting and approving, then waited for him to pour for both of them.
    Allison sipped hers, enjoying the crisp dryness of it.
    “So, tell me something about yourself that has nothing to do with real estate development, boardrooms, or bank accounts.”
    His brows scrunched together as if he had to think hard about his life. To consider if he even had a life outside of those things.
    “What do you want to know?”
    “Um. How about family?”
    He made a grunt that sounded disgusted, but said, “You met my father and most recent stepmother. A couple of my five brothers, too, as I recall.”
    “A super tall huge guy and a rangy blond?”
    “Yeah. Between all of us there’ve been three mothers. Mine died when I was a kid.”
    “Wow. From your gloomy tone, I’m going to guess family’s a touchy subject.”
    He wiped his mouth with his napkin, then placed it back in his lap. “Not really. I just don’t usually talk to people about them. My family’s, shall we say, unusual.”
    Allison snorted. “Everyone’s family is unusual in some way or another. There’s no such thing as a ‘normal’ family. For instance, my mom and dad divorced when I was ten. Mom worked her ass off at two, sometimes three jobs, to support me and my little brother until she remarried when I was fifteen. My stepdad’s a good guy, but I think Mom settled mostly because she just couldn’t do it alone anymore. We needed a second income and she wanted companionship.”
    “There are worse reasons to get married. Are they still together?”
    “Actually, yes. I think Mom learned to love him. Now that Jesse and I are out of the house, Mom and Rick get out and do a lot more things together.”
    “Jesse’s your brother?”
    “Yep. He and his partner live in San Diego, so I don’t see him as often as I want to.”
    “Partner?”
    “He came out to us when he was twelve. For his own sanity and safety, I sometimes wished he’d waited until he could get away from the south. But he’s a stubborn little shit and insisted on being who he was, everyone else be damned.”
    “Sounds like his sister.”
    Allison laughed. “Yeah, I guess. I have a pretty strong sense of self. So, five brothers? That’s a lot of testosterone in one house.”
    “You have no idea. Everything was a competition. Dad encouraged it.”
    “No relaxing pizza and movie nights at your house?”
    He