Free She Sins at Midnight by Whitney Dineen

life. Of course she really couldn’t complain. Truth be told, that’s all he was to her as well.
    Melinda had recently become enamored with the thought of sleeping with a man because she was actually attracted to him. Unfortunately, this reality was not an option to her as she was saving herself for liaisons that could further her success as an actress. That’s why she began reading romance novels. For three-hundred and some odd pages she could lose herself in fantasies where she could be someone other than Melinda Forrester. She cracked the binding on her latest purchase and before she knew it, she was deeply invested in She Sins at Midnight .
     
    Isabelle, widowed Countess of Trent, had just lay eyes on her latest quarry. After spending six years on the stage in London, she had only been wife to the Earl for three years before he died, which unfortunately was not enough time for the ton to accept her as one of their own. The sole reason she got invited to all the best balls was because she had slept her way through enough of the husbands that they insisted their wives include her. And while she was always in great demand by the male guests, the women virtually shunned her. For this reason, Isabelle decided it was time to wed another peer of the realm and fast. She had just spotted the man who fulfilled all of her requirements.
    Julius Rapscallion, Viscount Hedgeworth, was without a doubt the most stunning man she had ever laid eyes on. Well over six feet, with jet black hair and emerald green eyes, he looked more like a rogue pirate than a member of the House of Lords. He was also the only man who she had been attracted to that she hadn’t managed to bed.
    Isabelle stalked the perimeter of the ballroom with her sights set on her quarry. He was currently dancing with one of the ton’s old maids. She certainly did not consider Vivian Ashwood any competition. After all, what could an inexperienced prude like that have to offer the hot blooded Viscount? Julius was well known for his lusty pursuits and a dried up virgin like Vivian wouldn’t know what to do with him even if she had the opportunity.
    Isabelle located the women’s withdrawing room to prepare for battle. First, she ripped out the final tier of lace that remained in the décolletage of her gown; nearly exposing her nipples. Then she dampened what remained of her bodice so it clung indecently to her overly ripe bosom. After pulling a tendril of hair down, pointing the way to her vast cleavage, she was ready to go forth and claim her man.
     
    Melinda sighed and thought she could really identify with the Countess. After all, they were both actresses who had landed rich older men and they were both looking for a stallion of a man to have a dalliance with. Although the Countess was going to marry her stallion, while Melinda was going to have to settle for Oscar. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t keep her eye out for a hot, meaningless affair. Maybe that was the very thing she needed.
    When the plane pulled up to the private terminal at O’Hare, Melinda was more than ready to get out and stretch her legs. She let Oscar’s private flight attendant carry her bags to the car as she ran in place for a few moments to get her blood moving. Without so much as a thank you to the crew who flew her across the country, she jumped into the back of the limo and popped open a bottle of Pellegrino. Melinda asked the driver where she was staying. He informed her that he was taking her to the town of Bentley.
    Melinda demanded, “Bentley? Where the hell is Bentley? I thought I was staying in the city.”
    Frankie assured her that she was staying in Bentley and Melinda decided to just go with the flow. She didn’t care where she was as long as she was far away from Oscar for awhile. She needed some time alone so she could try to get her story straight. She was afraid she had already told so many conflicting tales that he would catch her in one of her many lies and dump her