Page 11 of Eddie (Romance & Revolutions #7)

Eddie

“Feel free to tell me this isn’t my business, but is there a story behind the tying you up thing?” I wasn’t going to assume he’d answer but Shelby liked to surprise me.

Yep, he blushed.

There was a story.

“Well…” Shelby looked down at his bowl and played with the last of his Pho, full after having a big bowl of the soup.

“When I was young, there was a boy next door I hung out with a lot. Cops and robbers mostly. But there was a lot of Old West stuff with sheriffs and bandits. His grandma’s favorite TV channel played old westerns all day long. ”

“And you were the robber?” His pink cheeks were adorable but I loved the way he sighed and shrugged. “It makes sense.”

In a Shelby kind of way.

“He’s a very straightlaced cop now and has four kids.” Shelby’s cocked head and confused frown said he just couldn’t figure out how the guy had gotten there. “People are weird.”

I wasn’t sure how his mind had connected the two sentences together, but he wasn’t wrong. “They really are. I mean, look at you. You wouldn’t let me handle the situation when you got fired. I think that’s very weird.”

His dramatic huff made me want to smile. “Because that’s just life. Some people suck.”

That didn’t mean I shouldn’t be able to fix it.

“I’ll figure something else out.” Sitting up straighter, Shelby forced a smile. “You made sure I have a good savings account, so I’m not worried.”

Neither was I because there was no way I would let him get too desperate. I didn’t like him worrying at all, so he was crazy if he thought I wouldn’t step in at some point.

“You’ll figure something out, and if you need help, I’m here for you.” His smile and his suspicious stare had me rolling my eyes. “Not that kind of help. Legitimate, ‘let’s have a conversation about your options’ help.”

Helping him get a job in my preferred method would just create problems in the long run. Shelby wasn’t the type of person I could plop down in a big company and make everyone think he’d always been there.

He was too chatty and people would legitimately notice he was new.

“Oh.” He didn’t look sheepish about his assumption but we both knew why. “Okay. That might be a good idea because I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Hmm.

“So the searches last week and the updated resume?”

He shrugged. “Were just for your benefit so you wouldn’t worry.”

For fuck’s sake.

I was going to have to keep a closer eye on my naughty robber over there.

“Then this weekend, once I’ve had a chance to thoroughly wear you out, we’re going to sit down and make a plan.” Shelby went through a dozen different reactions from drama to pouting in about ten seconds before he settled on slumping over and sighing.

I’d won.

“Thoroughly worn out?” When I nodded, he pouted again. “Okay. I guess I just thought I’d have another week or two to worry about it before we got to this point.”

“Online friend would’ve waited that long, you’re right. In-person boyfriend, no.” That changed the rules significantly. “But I’m still going to start keeping a closer eye on you. No more manipulating me.”

At the very least he was going to have to try harder.

Shelby’s face scrunched up before he leaned back against the bench. “I’m supposed to be nervous about that threat, right?”

He was just turned on.

“I clearly need to work on being more romantic and less threatening.” That had him wincing. “I thought that would get through to you better.”

He was a naughty cutie and a brat in training.

“But no one ever gets tied up in the romantic books. It’s all slow burn this and careful that.” His adorable pout made him look like he should be hanging out with the littles. “I was promised regular restraints and orgasms.”

“That doesn’t mean I can’t be slow and romantic in between sessions.” Cocking my head, I pretended to frown. “I don’t think we actually set a schedule.”

Groaning, he plopped his elbows on the table. “You’re evil.”

“Thank you.” It was nice to be appreciated sometimes. “You’re cute.”

He tried to keep pouting and being dramatic but a smile peeked out. “I’m going to use being cute to my advantage. Just so you know. And letting you have control. That’s going to work in my favor too.”

“Smart and cute. I like it.” And I liked him…his giggle said he knew it too. “I’m going to have to come up with some punishments, though.”

He only looked worried for about five seconds before he had a lightbulb moment. “Do we have rules?”

I wasn’t worried about details like that.

“Yes. I control everything and you try to look cute and get your way by coming up with schemes like using your change to get more coffee.” His grin said he thought that was a situation he would thoroughly enjoy.

“Okay.” Wiggling in his seat, either excited or aroused, Shelby’s expression turned devious. “But that means you’re going to have to keep me and watch me better. Lots of helper activities.”

I could handle that.

And he didn’t seem to mind, so I wasn’t going to second-guess it.

“I think that’s a reasonable plan. Especially the keeping you part, because you’re right, I can’t control everything if I don’t keep you close.” That wasn’t going to be a hardship either. “But you’re going to remember to safeword if something becomes too overwhelming.”

I knew I was a struggle for most guys to deal with, but Shelby cocked his head in obvious confusion. “Having you watching over me? The control thing? Why would I need to safeword over something like that?”

I was starting to think I’d underestimated how much Shelby’s overly distant family had affected him.

“I don’t think you will, but Silas worries to an unreasonable degree and I wanted to be able to honestly say I touched base with you on it.” I shrugged as he gave me an understanding nod. “I think dealing with Austin all the time has him imagining the worst.”

“Well, I’m not going to buy video game companies just to get free goodies, so I don’t think he has anything to worry about.” Shelby’s explanation made me want to smile. “We’re not nearly as prone to do something crazy.”

Agreed.

“Some people just can’t help themselves.” Silas was one of them. “But we have that conversation checked off the to-do list, so we’re good.”

“You’re good.” Shelby rolled his eyes. “I’m going to start telling him to mind his own business or asking him about the most recent crazy thing Austin did just to distract him.”

That was probably a better plan.

“I’ll tell him that we talked about it if I have to, though.” Shelby gave me a sweet, serious frown. “I don’t want him driving you crazy.”

And my little protector was back.

I hadn’t missed the fact that he’d put himself between me and the ridiculously dramatic alpha earlier. “Thank you. I appreciate you taking care of me.”

Oh, that smile.

“I’m going to let you find lots of new ways to watch over me too.” Giving me a fake pout, he exhaled loudly. “But not the mirror. That’s a limit evidently.”

Drama queen.

“How about I hide cameras all over your apartment but I don’t tell you where they are and I keep moving them?” Then he’d never know what I could see and what I couldn’t. “It’ll give me a better view than your laptop anyway.”

And the security cameras in the hallways.

Lighting up, he smiled and wiggled in his seat again. “I guess I’d like romance like that. I haven’t even seen that in books.”

He was wonderfully interesting.

And obviously done with his food, so I raised one eyebrow again. “Alright, then how about we head back to your place now so I can start picking out the best spots for cameras.”

It was nice to have a new project to throw myself into.

“Yes.” Nearly bouncing in his seat, Shelby beamed at me. “Let’s go.”

I had a feeling his excitement was more about being tied up again and less about the cameras, but he seemed genuinely eager for both. “One question. Is there anywhere you don’t want me to put cameras?”

And his confused look was back.

“Oh, like the people who don’t want to be watched in the bathroom or something like that?” When I nodded, he shrugged. “No. You’re part of my life and have been for ages. It would seem weird to block you out of pieces of it.”

“That’s my logic too but I didn’t want to make assumptions.” I was confident when it came to predicting most of his reactions but it was good to double-check the big ones. “It’s always okay to change your mind about something too.”

Shelby looked like he wanted to shake his head but nodded anyway. “I understand and I will explain my thoughts if something changes.”

“Good.” He didn’t have to like the idea or even expect it to happen, but the reminder was important. “I will do the same.”

That got a snicker out of him. “I can’t imagine you having a problem with being able to watch me more thoroughly.”

I shrugged but his smile got wider. “You never know. I might get hit on the head like a cartoon character and have a complete change of personality.”

His face scrunched up as he reached across the table to pat my hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll hit you over the head again if it comes down to it. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

He was adorably insane…I could see why Austin had clicked with him so quickly. “Thank you, Shelby boy.”

“You’re welcome.” Doing another little happy dance in his seat, Shelby looked ready to fly out the door. “We can go now, right? We had enough of the dinner portion of the date to do…other stuff again?”

Had he been keeping a timed list or something in his head?

“Yes.” What else was important that he understand? “I liked having dinner with you and talking about random things. This was nice.”

And the beaming smile was back.

“Me too.” Still vibrating with excitement, his smile softened slightly. “This has been the best date ever so far. I’m glad you were real, Not-Henry.”

“I’m so real you’re never going to get away from me, Shelby boy.”

He sighed out another smile. “Okay, maybe I don’t mind romance when it comes from you.”

Yep, he was adorably nuts, but I liked that in a guy.

I also liked that he knew I had his phone and car bugged so I didn’t have to pretend to be confused about where we were going when I followed him home. It made conversations much easier because we’d both accepted that I controlled his GPS and I could track him no matter what.

He’d just waved as he’d climbed in his car and called out that he’d see me at home.

I wasn’t sure if that meant he thought it was our home or not, but either way I approved and watched over him carefully as he made his way back to his apartment.

I made sure to send him using the streets he was most familiar with, but everything I was getting from his chattering to himself said he was relaxed and still excited.

“Shelby boy, I appreciate your lack of self-preservation but I really need to start watching over you just a little bit closer.” Shaking my head as I followed behind him in my own car, I let my mind wander to our time at the club and tried to pick out ways I could’ve improved it.

I had a solid list of options by the time we’d gotten to his neighborhood but I got derailed as we pulled up to a stoplight and I checked his emails.

His mother.

She randomly sent him weird articles on health food and the newest flu strain running around in other parts of the world every six months, but she never actually talked to him.

They were the strangest family of introverts I’d ever seen and Shelby seemed to be the only somewhat extroverted person in the entire bunch.

I’d never seen it make anyone damned near an outcast in their family but it seemed to be part of what was influencing their bizarre behavior.

He’d just ended up in an entire family of people who only wanted to talk once in a blue moon.

His parents even emailed each other to touch base about chores and plans so they didn’t have to talk in person.

I still wasn’t sure how Shelby had ever been conceived, but his parents weren’t my problem since he hadn’t talked to them in nearly two years.

Shelby was my only concern and we were well on our way to finding a new family for him. It was just one with enough interesting characters to fill one of the naughty book series he liked.