“There’s a pavilion over here, so even if the wind comes up, we’ll be protected,” he said. “The chairs are comfortable. I have a blanket in my backpack for you to use so you won’t get cold.”
Gideon pulled out a chair and took the one opposite her. She noticed his chair was at an angle so he could see the entrance as well as both sides of the garden. It was only behind him that he didn’t have a good view of. He placed the blanket in front of her as well as two bottles of water.
“I have asthma,” Rory blurted. “It’s fairly severe. No running for me.”
“I’m impressed you work so fast at the bar the way you do. You must make an effort to stay fit despite having asthma.”
She heard the genuine admiration in his voice.
“I’ve always been lucky when it came to physical abilities. Good reflexes, that sort of thing, but I’ve got friends who have to work their asses off to stay in shape. I respect them because I know how difficult it is for them. We’re not all born with the same gifts or challenges.” Gideon spoke matter-of-factly as he casually reached for the water bottle in front of her and loosened the cap before opening his own. “How did you learn to duplicate the song of the female field sparrow so perfectly? That was truly amazing.”
She laughed; she couldn’t help it. He sounded impressed. Who knew such a silly thing would impress a gorgeous man with muscles all over the place? “I love music. I hear music in everything, meaning traffic, buildings, birds, especially the birds. I’ve traveled quite a bit and like to write songs, so I’m always listening wherever I go.”
“That little piece is very specific. Not too many people notice it,” Gideon said, persisting. “Field sparrows are common, but until recently, scientists weren’t certain what those little notes meant.”
She laughed again. “The other night, a little female sparrow came flying onto my rooftop, with an owl determined to make her a meal. I accidentally bashed her with my cupboard door. I knew she shouldn’t have been out of her nest at night, so once she flew off, I looked up field sparrows and, much to my shock, learned about them having affairs. I couldn’t resist hearing the song of a female calling or answering just so I would recognize the notes. Then I did the same with the male sparrow.”
“After the sparrow was chased by the owl and hit your cupboard door, you said she was fine? Are you certain?” There was concern in his voice.
His concern caused a melting sensation in her heart. She nodded. “Yes. She flew off. How did you know the notes to sing back to me?”
For the first time, Gideon looked a little sheepish. One hand swept through his thick wavy hair, making his already unruly hair even worse. He sent her a boyish grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes. She wanted to reach out and push his hair off his forehead, not because it wasn’t attractive but because it was too tempting. The pull toward him was very strong.
“I’ve been all over the world, and I study birds. They’re fascinating to me. Everything about them, from the way they build their nests to the way they care for their young. They’re all so different. Some are monogamous. Some are not. Some go back to the same site year after year.”
As he spoke, his voice became more animated. It was all Rory could do to keep from smiling. Gideon’s features remained an expressionless mask for the most part, but his eyes and voice changed. His eyes were beautiful. She had noticed a silver ring aroundthe dark blue color of his eyes, but when he spoke of the various birds, the color lightened, and the silver ring seemed to thin. His voice, although still low and gentle, definitely became more dynamic.
“It’s amazing that you can reproduce bird songs after listening to them when you’re writing music.”
“I traveled to South America, and my guide took me to a section where there was a nest of a Harpy Eagle about ninety feet high up in a kapok tree. I felt very privileged to have even seen one. I know they’re very difficult to spot,” Rory said. “He also told me that, for the most part, the Harpy Eagles are silent. But I camped close to their tree, and I listened. I found they make a variety of sounds. To me, each note was unique and beautiful. With the background of the wind moving through the canopy, when I heard the sound, I immediately felt music and lyrics.”
Gideon flashed her another grin. This one was again very brief, but it lit his eyes. “I’ve been to the South American rain forest multiple times looking for the Harpy Eagle. Beautiful bird. Nothing like it in the world. Those talons, large like a grizzly’s. They mate for life. Did you know that?”
His voice was mesmerizing. She leaned her chin into the heel of her hand, feeling she could listen to him all night. The sound of his voice was pitched low, a velvet-soft blend that seemed to stroke over her senses until every nerve ending was singing. She’d never had a reaction to another human being the way she did to him. Spending time in his company was both exhilarating and frightening. At the same time, it was addicting. The more time she spent with him, the more she wanted to be with him.
“The guide mentioned those things to me, along with the fact that the Harpy Eagle was considered the most dangerous of all raptors. He said it’s actually so powerful that it could puncture a man’s skull with ease.”
Gideon nodded. “They’re no joke, yet you camped close to their nest. After what he told you, you weren’t afraid?”
Rory tried not to look at his long fingers wrapped around the bottle of water. He had big hands. The Harpy Eagle had five-inch talons, comparable to the five-inch claws of a grizzly bear. There was tremendous danger and power in the raptor. She could see power and danger running through Gideon. It was strange to think those things when he was so soft-spoken and gentle.
“I wasn’t afraid in the least. I stayed a distance from the nest. It wasn’t as if I was going to climb ninety feet into the air and try to see their little chick. It was thrilling to share their space and hear them. I saw them bringing a howler monkey to the nest once. But I was there for their music.”
“I like that you heard music in them.”
His eyes were on her, his blue gaze intense, causing the invasion of butterflies all over again. The silver rings around the blue intrigued her. He had beautiful eyes, and he focused completely on her, making her feel as if she were the only woman in the world.
“I hear music in everything and everybody.” She was proud of herself for managing not to stutter when he was looking at her so intently.
“What do you hear in me?”
Her heart jerked. Her stomach did a slow somersault. She hadn’t been expecting that question. She should have. He seemed interested in everything. She pressed her lips together nervously. If she said the wrong thing and he was upset with what she heard, she might lose this connection before she had a chance to even explore it. She could always say they hadn’t spent enough time together, and she needed longer, but she didn’t like lying.
“Rory, you aren’t going to hurt my feelings. I’m interested in your artistic impressions of me, but if you feel that’s too personal for you to share, I’ll understand. The last thing I want to do is make you uncomfortable.”
His voice was very gentle, so gentle tears burned behind her eyes. No one had ever spoken to her like that—as if she mattered. As if how she was feeling mattered. She had lived her life alone for so long she didn’t know how to react to kindness or caring.
“The last thing I want to do is offend you.” She did her best to keep her voice from trembling. When she opened herself to her surroundings to listen for music, the notes came to her easily. With Gideon, it was a blend of notes just like the impressions she had gotten of him. She had already placed the notes of the Harpy Eagle into his song. A hawk. A Great Gray Owl. Strangely, all predatory raptors and a wolf. She found the wolf note in him fascinating. All animals with a protective side.
