Windswept (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)
Windswept
Cadence Bennett is a talented flutist who dreams of a performance career. Her father's rigid discipline has helped her to develop prodigious technique, but her music lacks the emotion needed to make her truly great. She has always avoided anything that might distract her from her studies, including men. When the opportunity to audition for a woodwind trio comes up, she decides to take a chance.
Chris Clements and Ryan Matias are handsome and talented. They are the cofounders of the group Windswept who are searching for the right person to complete their trio. Recognizing Cadence's potential, they ask her to join them. Together they help Cadence unlock the passion in her music and in her heart.
But just when her romance and her career are heating up, Cadence's father steps in and threatens to bring it all to an end.
Genre:
Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre
Length:
24,260 words
Diana MacArthur
MENAGE AMOUR
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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IMPRINT: Ménage Amour
WINDSWEPT
Copyright © 2012 by Diana MacArthur
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62241-929-6
First E-book Publication: December 2012
Cover design by Christine Kirchoff
All cover art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED:
This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Letter to Readers
Dear Readers,
If you have purchased this copy of
Windswept
by Diana MacArthur from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.
Regarding E-book Piracy
This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book.
The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment.
This is Diana MacArthur’s livelihood.
It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. MacArthur’s right to earn a living from her work.
Amanda Hilton, Publisher
For Sean.
WINDSWEPT
DIANA MACARTHUR
Copyright © 2012
“Stop, Cadence! Stop!”
Cadence Bennett’s fingers froze mid-phrase, and she slowly pulled the gleaming silver flute from her lips. Looking down, she muttered, “I was too fast on the triplets, wasn’t I?”
Her teacher ran his hands through his thick, graying hair. “No, that’s not it,” he said.
A tiny frown creased Cadence’s brow. “I don’t understand,” she said. “What did I do?”
The man sighed. “Cadence, your technique is perfect, as always. But this piece needs more expression, more emotion.”
Studying the music in front of her, Cadence’s frown deepened. “But I’m following all the dynamic markings.” This was not a new conversation, yet it was becoming increasingly frustrating for her.
Cadence had been studying music since age three, when her concert pianist mother first began teaching her. By the time she reached second grade, she was playing pieces normally mastered by much older students. To give her a challenge, her father began to teach her the violin. This, too, she learned very quickly. The family frequently performed at concerts around Southern Ontario.
When Cadence reached middle school, her school music teacher suggested she learn a wind or brass instrument. Cadence chose the flute and swiftly fell in love with the instrument. This became her main focus, and while she found the technical aspects came to her with relative ease, she still lacked the ability to really make her music come alive.
Now, in her final year of a music degree at the University of Southwestern Ontario in Mississauga, Cadence continued to struggle.
“Why don’t we finish a little early today,” Professor Milton suggested. “You’ve been working hard.”
Apparently not hard enough, Cadence silently berated herself as she cleaned and put away her instrument. Quietly thanking her teacher, she left the studio and made her way down the hall and into the common area on the first floor of the music building.
She was so intent on her route that she didn’t notice the pretty blonde who fell in step beside her until she moved to turn a corner and nearly collided with the young woman.
“Holy crap, Andrea!” Cadence cried. “Don’t sneak up on me like that!”
Andrea’s brown eyes danced with amusement. “I wasn’t sneaking. You just don’t notice things around you,” she teased. “Come here. I want to show you something.”
Andrea grabbed Cadence’s hand and dragged her to the notice board in the common area. “Check this out!” she exclaimed as she jabbed her finger at a piece of blue paper tacked to the corkboard.
Cadence leaned in closer to read.
FLUTE PLAYER WANTED
Windswept, a woodwind trio which gives paid performances at concerts and other events, has recently lost their flute player to a better paying job! Open auditions are being held on Saturday March 7 at the auditorium in the USO Music building to find a replacement. Candidates should be at least third year and prepare two of the following pieces:
A short list of repertoire followed.
Cadence felt her heart rate increase in excitement. This would be a perfect opportunity for her to break into the performance career she was hoping to pursue. The members of Windswept included Chris Clements, the principal clarinetist with her father’s symphony in Cambridge, and Ryan Matias, the woodwind specialist at Maureen Forrester School of the Arts in Mississauga. To play with them would provide great experience and important contacts.
“Well?” Andrea prompted. “What do you think?”
“This would be fabulous,” Cadence replied. “But I don’t know if they would want me. I’m only a university student.”
“And the best flute player at that university,” Andrea said. “They wouldn’t be advertising here if they didn’t think they could find someone here. You are going to that audition if I have to come and drag you there myself.”
“Okay fine!” Cadence exclaimed. “I’ll go.”
“Good,” Andrea said. She took her friend by the hand and led her down the hall to the cafeteria. “Besides, I heard that the guys in Windswept are totally hot!”
Cadence smiled and rolled her eyes. Andrea was always trying to get her to go out with someone. But truthfully, Cadence had been so devoted to her studies that she had very little time for socializing. And she was painfully shy. So different from Andrea. Andrea’s gorgeous blonde curls and curvy figure attracted all kinds of guys. Not like me
,
Cadence thought. Her own hair was bright, carrot-red, and hung limply down her back. She was skinny and awkward and just didn’t have her friend’s natural grace. Sometimes Cadence was astounded that she and Andrea had ever become friends. But Cadence now got to meet some of the popular students just because she was often with Andrea.
Although that has its drawbacks
,
she thought wryly as a tall, gorgeous hunk approached their table.
“Hey, baby,” he said as he draped his arm around Andrea’s shoulder and proceeded to give her a long, wet kiss. Cadence looked away. Andrea and Tim had been going out for over a year now and still always had their hands all over each other. It made Cadence uncomfortable.
Uncomfortable!
You’re just jealous, she told herself.
Andrea gets all the cock and you’re still a virgin.
Sighing, Cadence looked up at the young man who had arrived with Tim. Cadence thought his name was James. To her surprise, James slid into the seat on Andrea’s other side, leaned in, and kissed her on the neck. Then he nibbled her ear and Cadence heard him say, “Thanks for last night. You’re so fucking hot!”
Cadence raised her eyebrows at Andrea as James slid a hand to her thigh while trailing kisses down her neck. Andrea blushed and said, “I thought you guys had a lab right now?”
“We do,” Tim replied. “But we wanted to drop by and see if you were coming tonight.” He laughed a low, sexy laugh at his double entendre.
Blushing furiously, Andrea pushed him away and said, “Yes, I’ll be over tonight. Now go before you’re late for class!” Tim kissed her again and so did James before they sauntered away toward their next class.
Cadence looked expectantly at Andrea as she turned back from watching the men leave. She leaned across the table and said in a low voice, “Tim and I had a threesome with James last night.”
Cadence sat back in surprise. A threesome! Naturally she had heard of such things, but she just didn’t understand how a committed couple like Andrea and Tim could invite someone else into their bed. “And how did that happen?” she asked.
Andrea blushed again. “Well, Tim and I were watching a porn movie when James came home. So he sat down to watch with us. There was a girl and two guys in the movie, and Tim asked me if I thought that looked fun. So I said, ‘Sure, if you’re willing to share.’”
“I guess he was willing,” Cadence said. She met Andrea’s eyes, and they both burst into laughter. “So was it good?”
“Fuck yeah!” Andrea enthused, and they laughed again. Cadence tried to imagine it. Two guys. Two sets of hands. Two mouths, two tongues. Two…Her pussy clenched involuntarily, and she squirmed slightly in her seat as warmth rushed through her.
Andrea seemed to guess the way her thoughts were going. “You know, Cadence, I could set you up with someone, and you could finally solve your little problem.”
