Free The Duality Principle by Rebecca Grace Allen Page B

“Good,” he said, leaning his shoulder down toward hers. “You look really cute tonight, by the way. The red, white and blue, I mean.”
    Gabriella beamed. “Thank you.”
    He led the way, finding a path through the colorful towels that formed a blanket over the lush grass. The sun had already begun to set, and people were whistling at the moored boat on the horizon that housed the fireworks. They stopped at a worn tent being guarded by a wiry kid with black hair and glasses too big for his face.
    “Connor’s here,” he said. “Now the party can finally start.”
    “This is Mikey,” Jamie explained to Gabriella as they all sat down in front of the tent. “Also from South Portland High.”
    She reached over and shook Mikey’s hand. Connor sat down next to her and stretched out his long legs in front of him until they brushed against hers. Gabriella shifted an inch closer so they were touching.
    “These three go way back,” Jamie added.
    “ Way back.” Mikey pulled a bottle from the cooler and handed one to Gabriella, offering one to Connor next. He shook his head. “Dean was famous for the most detentions in the ninth grade, but Connor busted that record when he showed up in tenth.” Mikey looked up at him admiringly. “This guy really knew how to party.”
    “Mikey—”
    “Hey, remember the Fourth the summer we got our licenses?” he asked, apparently ignoring the warning in Connor’s voice. “When we tore donuts with Dean’s truck into Sheriff Roger’s lawn?”
    “Yeah, I remember,” Connor said. “And I was so glad that I was the one who got caught for it while the two of you were already home.”
    Dean tilted back his bottle for a long sip. “Good times.”
    Gabriella could feel the muscles in Connor’s leg tense. It was obvious he didn’t want this story told, but her curiosity was piqued. She couldn’t help wanting to hear more about his rebellious past.
    “Why did Connor get caught for it when it was Dean’s truck?” she asked.
    “Well, Sheriff Roger already kind of had it in for him,” Mikey continued. “He was the one who’d practically knocked up his daughter after all—”
    “O- kay !” Connor said loudly as he sat up straight, his body going taut like a switchblade. “I think we don’t need to go there tonight.”
    Gabriella shouldn’t have wanted to hear the last part of that story. There was nothing about him being so reckless with someone else that should have turned her on, but it just reminded her of the night before and how willing Connor was to press her against that pole where anyone could see.
    Exactly what else had he done? And why wasn’t he willing to do it with her?
    “Oh I think we definitely need to go there, my friend,” Dean argued, sliding an arm across Gabriella’s shoulders. Connor’s jaw ticked, eyes flaring at where Dean’s skin touched hers. “Don’t you think our girl here deserves to know everything about the guy she’s into?”
    Connor’s lips pinched together as he looked away. Whatever his friends were teasing him about was a layer he didn’t want peeled back right now.
    “I think I know a lot about Connor already,” Gabriella said. “And I think there’s a lot more to him than you all know too.”
    Connor smiled at the ground. It made all her joints go a little bit loose.
    “Oooh,” Dean catcalled, releasing Gabriella from his grip. “You sure you want to know everything , Miss Ivy League?”
    There was a dare in his words that flustered her, but it got cut off when Jamie suddenly stood up.
    “Hey, you know what? I think the fireworks are about to start.” She started walking backwards toward the water. “I’m going to get a closer spot. Anyone coming?”
    Dean looked after her, paused for a moment and then leapt to his feet. “Sounds like an invitation to me.”
    He started chasing Jamie down the hill. Connor shot a glare at Mikey, who quickly stood too.
    “Um, I’ll go get the other six pack from Dean’s