Page 76 of Just Bromantically Invested

In that aspect, it’s good that he didn’t decide to come and work with Damien, but I really wish he had. Our relationship is going strong, but it’s a hard balancing act of spending time with him as a boyfriend and knowing when to step away. I don’t want to neglect my Bertha boys, but if I took every other consideration out, Penn and I would be together twenty-four seven.

I love him, I love snuggles with him and spending time withhim, and I want him in my life constantly. But I’m also very conscious of making sure I don’t smother him. I can be a lot sometimes, and if there’s one thing my parents have taught me, it’s that no matter how hard I try, I can’t help disappointing people.

The only reason my Bertha fam haven’t left me yet is because they’re all too busy falling apart to pay much attention, and now they’re in relationships, stable, healthy relationships, I’m expecting that any day now one of their partners will shatter the glass on the truth.

I like to pretend I’m put together and confident, but really, I’m still figuring myself out.

My button-up shirt itches at my neck as I scroll through the internet. Damien and I discussed the need for uniforms, given what we’re planning, and decided that since this was a professional relationship, it made more sense for us to be clothed.

It doesn’t make sense to me. It plays into society’s image of the naked body being pornographic and inappropriate, but Damien’s still new to the lifestyle, and I’m not about to push it on anyone and make them uncomfortable.

I get to be uncomfortable instead. That’s nothing new.

“You okay over there?” Damien asks.

I drum my fingers on the table and sit back in my chair. “Just thinking.”

“About what?”

“Lots and lots of things.”

He nods, sitting back, too, and looking over the mess surrounding us. “We’re getting somewhere though.”

“Yeah, I really like what we have planned so far.”

The aim is to make this the one place people can go and be themselves. Can wear their skin with pride and not be self-conscious about judgmental opinions and creepy people being inappropriate.

We’ve already discussed the need for on-site security. We’replanning to have a grocer and a convenience store by the entrance to start with. Tennis courts and a pool toward the back. The house will be emptied out and set up for free-use meetings, with offices upstairs for community support and management. There’ll be a restaurant and cafe, maybe an outdoor theater, a gym … We’ve been running away with the ideas and have lists for what’s important right now and what we can look at incorporating in the future.

Between rent for the businesses and membership fees, it should be enough to cover the administrative side, but Damien keeps assuring me to leave the finances to him.

So I am, mostly. There isn’t a part of me that would know what unlimited funds looks like, but if he has them and he wants to spend them on this, I’m not going to complain.

I tug at my collar again, and Damien laughs. “You look so uncomfortable.”

“Yeah … not used to corporate. Or, you know, clothes. But it’s fine.”

“If it’s a problem, we can revisit that conversation.”

“No, it’s really okay.” I inject as much conviction into my voice as I can. “It’s taking a bit of adjusting, that’s all.”

Damien’s older than me, and when his handsome face falls serious, it accentuates the distinguished lines around his eyes and mouth. “This is a very tricky situation to navigate. When it comes to business, there are things that are professional and things that aren’t. I know what we’re planning here will mean those rules are redundant, but …”

I hold up my hands. “We don’t need to talk about this. I’m a functioning human who’s worn clothes most of his life. This isn’t a problem.”

“I’m conscious of Penn as well.”

That’s news to me. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I know you haven’t explicitly said it, but I get thefeeling the two of you are dating, and I don’t want him to feel uncomfortable.”

My cheeks heat at Damien having guessed, but it’s not like I’m surprised. I never shut up about Penn because I don’t actually want to. “We are. But that’s not something he cares about.”

Damien’s mouth twitches. “If it was my ex-husband and we were still together, I’d have an issue with it.”

“Penn understands it’s not sexual. If it was up to me, I’d be naked all the time because there’d be no outside pressure to conform. It would just be okay to be myself. That’s my ideal world and what I want for this place. At home, I live with six other men, and I’m always naked. Penn doesn’t care.”

“It’s a relief to know that you’ve had that conversation.”

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