“Yeah, I hear the weather’s crappy in Britain.” She returned the favor, studying his glistening pecs and the line of dark hair leading down from his navel. “There you go.” She handed him a beer, then cracked one for herself. It frothed up and spilled down her front. “Shoot!” With quick thinking, Rose immediately began to lap up the spillage. It tasted so good, she downed the full can in one shot. She was about to belch out loud but changed her mind, swallowed it instead and let the gases ease out the corner of her mouth.

Bellamy was grinning at her. He had a lovely, guileless smile that reminded her of…someone from her past that she couldn’t quite place.

“What’s wrong?” she asked. “Girls also don’t drink where you come from?”

“You’re awfully concerned about the girls where I’m from.” He took a quick sip. “They drank tea. In china cups.”

She rolled her eyes and averted her gaze out to the landscape in front of them while sparing a peek at him from the corner of her eye. “And the guys?”

He quirked an eyebrow, perceiving her challenge. Then, unexpectedly, he downed his beer in a single, sexy gulp. As soon as he’d finished, Bellamy plucked another can from the plastic rings and lobbed it to Rose.

She laughed and held this one away from her while she cracked the ring cap open. “I should warn you,” she told him, “when I drink, I say the first damn thing that comes to mind. Seriously, I’m incapable of holding back. Just so you know.”

“By that measure,” he replied with a grin, “you’ve clearly been drinking all day.”

Rose gave his arm a gentle punch. “Don’t sass me, Sunshine. I’m the Queen of Sass. I’ve got sass tattooed on my…umm…never mind.” She wasn’t sure how far to take it with him, or how much sarcasm Bellamy would pick up on. “So how did you and my mom first meet?” She hoped the sudden random change of topic might blindside him, get through his defenses, but one beer wasn’t enough for that.

“You’ll have to ask her,” he replied. “We have an agreement.”

“Okay, then let’s make an agreement. You and me.”

“What kind?”

“Truth or dare.”

“I don’t know what that is,” he admitted. “Is it like a game?”

“It is. But it’s a binding one. You can’t just back out if you’re uncomfortable. It’s a point of honor.”

He gave her a suspicious glance.