How to Win a Guy in 10 Dates. Jane Linfoot

       CHAPTER ONE

      ‘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