Jane Linfoot - How to Win a Guy in 10 Dates

Jane Linfoot

A division of HarperCollins Publishers

www.harpercollins.co.uk

Jane Linfoot Jane Linfoot I write fun, flirty fiction with feisty heroines and a bit of an edge. Writing romance is cool because I get to wear pretty shoes instead of wellies. I live in a mountain kingdom in Derbyshire, where my family and pets are kind enough to ignore the domestic chaos. Happily, we’re in walking distance of a supermarket. I love hearts, flowers, happy endings, all things vintage, most things French. When I’m not on Facebook and can’t find an excuse for shopping, I’ll be walking or gardening. On days when I want to be really scared, I ride a tandem.

Dedication For Phil

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

About HarperImpulse

Copyright

About the Publisher

I write fun, flirty fiction with feisty heroines and a bit of an edge. Writing romance is cool because I get to wear pretty shoes instead of wellies. I live in a mountain kingdom in Derbyshire, where my family and pets are kind enough to ignore the domestic chaos. Happily, we’re in walking distance of a supermarket. I love hearts, flowers, happy endings, all things vintage, most things French. When I’m not on Facebook and can’t find an excuse for shopping, I’ll be walking or gardening. On days when I want to be really scared, I ride a tandem.

For Phil

‘SO, how’s things?’

Ed Mitchum turned to see his sister, Cassie, swirling towards him across the lawn. She dropped a fizzing glass into his hand as she came to a halt beside him.

‘Mineral water?’ He surveyed the floating lemon slice with distaste, took in her inscrutable nod, and snatched a glass of champagne in his other hand from a passing waiter, before she had time to protest. ‘Much as I appreciate your concern for my well-being, your assumption that it’s fine to interfere in my life-choices is getting damned annoying. You’re in danger of taking the bossy sister thing too far.’

She spun a dazzling smile up at him and tossed her sea of platinum curls over one shoulder. ‘Okay, keep your hair on! I just don’t think it’s appropriate for you to drink yourself under the table at the Olds’ anniversary party, that’s all. I’d hoped you’d bring Sophie today. Couldn’t she make it?’

‘Sophie .… ?’ Ed racked his brains, and failed to come up with a face to fit the name.

‘As in dark, gorgeous, legs the length of Park Lane – pretty much surgically attached to you at the Carlton’s tennis and Pimms do?’

‘Ahhh, her . Ancient history, I’m afraid.’ Cassie’s incensed expression only served to spur him on. ‘Keep up! There’s been several since – what was she called again? Not that the women or my alcohol consumption have anything to do with you.’

Cassie let out an infuriated sigh. ‘It’s only because we care, isn’t it Will?’

She tilted her head, appealing to his best friend Will, who had just arrived at her elbow, and was wilting visibly under the full glare of her sudden smile.

‘Leave Will out of this.’ Ed grimaced as Will’s scowl over Cassie’s head reminded him of the animosity between his best friend and his seriously annoying younger sister. Cassie had taken great pleasure in driving Will to distraction since the first day Ed had brought him home, aged eleven. Twenty years of torment later, they were still sparking off each other… not in a good way.

‘It’s time you grew up if you ask me.’ Cassie smirked at him. ‘And I’m not just talking about your drinking habits. Seriously Ed, you’re pushing thirty two. Isn’t it time you were settling down?’

An over-bearing sister who thought she knew it all. When in reality the woman hadn’t got the first idea. Settling down was the last thing on his mind, although now she’d mentioned coupling, a party pick-up was no bad idea. On the lookout for a likely candidate, he scanned the neat lawns as far as the distant walls of his parents Derbyshire castle until his gaze snagged on a glossy brunette with a perfect bob, whose sheer sheath of a dress was split to the hip.

Cassie was onto him in a nano-second. ‘Pointless looking there, Ed, that’s Uncle Henry’s latest wife. I know he never keeps them long, but this one’s new enough to make it through to the end of the party.’

‘I wouldn’t bank on it.’ Ed sent her a sardonic smile. ‘Not if the way she’s eyeing up the blonde Adonis waiter is anything to go by. She practically licked him as he passed.’

Will posted him a lazy wink. ‘For a man who specialises in blowing things up, you’ve been remarkably quiet lately. How is your love life these days? Bed still like a conveyor belt?’

Ed shrugged. ‘Can’t complain. Turn-over’s still satisfyingly high.’

‘Well I’m sure you’re going to make plenty of noise with your firework display this evening. You get some points back for doing that.’ Cassie’s face softened to a smile, before she whirled on him again, piercing him with her sky-blue eyes. ‘So why don’t you keep any these women of yours?’

For a fleeting moment he shrank under the ferocity of her scrutiny. Then remembering it was none of her damned business anyway, he relaxed.

‘If you must know, when it comes to it, they never hold my interest. One night and I’ve seen all they have to offer. Two max. Then I’m all ready for the next.’

‘Perhaps you’re dating the wrong kind of woman.’ Cassie said.

‘Meaning?’

Ed saw Will narrow his eyes at Cassie, warning her. With Cassie in full force a guy needed his wingman.

‘I’m not backing off here, Will.’ She sounded fierce. ‘Ed’s always surrounded by women, hoards of them. All desperate to jump onto his love conveyor-belt, all desperate to be the one who gets to hang on in there. But let’s face it, you are a great looking guy with an even greater personality when you want to be, but those women have got their eye on the contents of your wallet more than on your personal attributes. And their desperation to get their hooks into you, and gain access to your billions must make them much more compliant than they otherwise might be. And in my book, compliant equals boring. Be honest Ed, when did you last date a woman who challenged you?’

Ed opened his mouth to answer then shut it again when he couldn’t remember an instance.

‘These polished, high maintenance females, solely attracted to your bank-balance, can’t give you more than one night of distraction. It’s obvious.’

‘You talk about it as if I even give a damn.’ He shot her a pointed grin. ‘I don’t. I’m happy with things as they are.’

‘You tell him Will. You’re his oldest friend after all.’

Cassie appealing to Will? Again? Twice in the course of two minutes.

‘She might have a point.’ Will’s tone was measured. He threw in a conciliatory qualifier. ‘Maybe.’

Now that was an unlikely alliance.

Ed swallowed his distaste. ‘How you two have both survived a decade of serial monogamy without dying of boredom is beyond me, but seeing as you are setting yourselves up as experts here, what do you suggest?’