#The Halfwife

[wandaluvstacos]

covers 1 and 2 complete, like 2-3 years after I finished the books lol. i'm doing my best

[wandaluvstacos]

I redid the Halfwife cover. :3 This would just be for Book 1.

[wandaluvstacos]

Chapter 41 of Good Investment is now up on my Patreon!

Good Investment is available at the $5/month tier. People who pledge $5 a month have access to not only Good Investment but The Sponsors series (ongoing), Pretty Things (complete), May the Blood Run Pure (complete), and Kept Man (complete), along with the $1/month tier books, the Reflections trilogy (ongoing) and The Halfwife (ongoing).

Adri Schvaneveldt has always felt split between two worlds. In one world, they are the adopted child of a large and conservative Mormon family. In another, she is the CEO of a burgeoning fashion empire that pushes boundaries. But in order to be the latter, Adri first has to find the funding. After gaining a hefty following as a social media influencer/model, Adri has the potential customers– if they can get a reliable production model pounded out. And that means a bit of groveling at the feet of investors, most of who have never even heard the term “non-binary”.

But Adri lucks out with Gideon Snow, whose youth and open mind bring much needed funds to make Adri’s dream of diverse, accessible fashion a reality. Of course, lifting a newborn company to its feet is no small task, and late nights drive Adri to occasional stays at Gideon’s nearby house, where their relationship begins stretching beyond business. Adri knows they can’t put an entire business venture at risk for the turbulent whims of their heart. But reason doesn’t always win out.

Excerpt:

“I’m not sure what we do about all of this,” Nandi said. “Do we just ride it out and hope Sofia learns to get a life? Calling the cops is out. So now what?”

“Don’t you have a restraining order?” Gideon asked Adri.

“Yeah, but enforcing it requires talking to the cops, which I don’t want to do.”

“What’s the point in having it then?”

“Because at the time I was desperate and I thought it would show Sofia I meant business. She did leave me alone for a few years after that.”

“I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to, but I think in this instance, getting the cops involved might scare her off your trail for a while. I mean… she staked out my house, Adri. That’s pretty fucking deranged. I can handle most of the talking with the cops, since it’s my house. She did this to both of us.”

“He is a rich white man,” Nandi told Adri, then leaned back to let the waiter plunk her drink down in front of her. “Cops might actually listen to him.”

Adri looked between Adri and Gideon, unsure. Gideon didn’t want to pressure her into anything, but at the same time he wanted this Sofia bitch away from both of them. If she got a visit from the police, it might cool her off for a while, if nothing else.

“I can’t prove the photo online was one she took, or the DM. It’s only instinct from years of dealing with her.”

“The DM came from someone named Got You with Love and her damn initials. She’s not subtle.”

Adri took a drink to avoid a response. It may take a few more days of online abuse before Adri really caved on this, and Gideon was willing to wait, though the longer they waited, the more the police would question why they hadn’t done anything earlier. They tended to wave away any harassment unless they were literal death threats, and even then.

“There’s still the option of sending Jay out to beat her ass,” Nandi muttered as she sipped her drink.

[wandaluvstacos]

Chapter 44 of Good Investment is now up on my Patreon!

Good Investment is available at the $5/month tier. People who pledge $5 a month have access to not only Good Investment but The Sponsors series (ongoing), Pretty Things (complete), May the Blood Run Pure (complete), and Kept Man (complete), along with the $1/month tier books, the Reflections trilogy (ongoing) and The Halfwife (ongoing).

Adri Schvaneveldt has always felt split between two worlds. In one world, they are the adopted child of a large and conservative Mormon family. In another, she is the CEO of a burgeoning fashion empire that pushes boundaries. But in order to be the latter, Adri first has to find the funding. After gaining a hefty following as a social media influencer/model, Adri has the potential customers– if they can get a reliable production model pounded out. And that means a bit of groveling at the feet of investors, most of who have never even heard the term “non-binary”.

But Adri lucks out with Gideon Snow, whose youth and open mind bring much needed funds to make Adri’s dream of diverse, accessible fashion a reality. Of course, lifting a newborn company to its feet is no small task, and late nights drive Adri to occasional stays at Gideon’s nearby house, where their relationship begins stretching beyond business. Adri knows they can’t put an entire business venture at risk for the turbulent whims of their heart. But reason doesn’t always win out.

Excerpt:

   “Well, she was very upset when she spoke to me—crying, even. She wanted me to call you and ‘talk sense to you’. Those were her words. I mentioned to her that I had met you and Adri at Solitude and then that got her all worked up again. She thinks I’m keeping secrets from her.”

            “Huh, wonder why you would do that,” Gideon muttered. “Do you think she’s told the rest of the family?”

            “She’s told Dad. When they were over for dinner and to see the kids, he was very grumpy and snippy with Mom. You know how he gets.”

            Gideon could imagine. God, he was so glad he didn’t live in Utah anymore. He had to give his sister credit for being willing to put up with it. She had kids, so it made sense she wanted their grandparents in the picture. Gideon often wondered if he was justified for avoiding them. They’d been decent parents to grow up with, and they’d supported him financially when he was abroad in Europe doing dumb shit. His father had loaned him money to start the business whose sale now gave Gideon his early retirement. He wouldn’t be here without them. And yet, the minute he’d graduated high school, he’d never looked back. Only after he’d partied his way through a few years abroad did he realize that hey, maybe he’d been a little fucked up by his upbringing. When he would rather be hungover and penniless on some Belgian pothead’s couch than in his parents’ big gorgeous house at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains, maybe his childhood wasn’t as idyllic as he liked to believe. It was hard to explain why there was such resentment in him. Only Adri and a few others seemed to get it.

            “What do you want me to tell Mom?” Ada asked when Gideon didn’t respond for a moment.

            “Tell her that I’m not speaking to anyone unless they are willing to respect me and my partner.”

            “What would that entail?”

            “It would mean not calling Adri a man, or using him pronouns. That’s probably the baseline. They can call me gay if they want; I really don’t care. It’s Adri I’m a stickler about.”

              “I don’t think Mom will do that.”  

            “Then we have nothing to discuss.”

            “Gideon…” Ada sighed again. “She’s our mom. You can’t just not talk to her.”

            “Sure I can. Watch me.”

[wandaluvstacos]

Chapter 43 of Good Investment is now up on my Patreon!

Good Investment is available at the $5/month tier. People who pledge $5 a month have access to not only Good Investment but The Sponsors series (ongoing), Pretty Things (complete), May the Blood Run Pure (complete), and Kept Man (complete), along with the $1/month tier books, the Reflections trilogy (ongoing) and The Halfwife (ongoing).

Adri Schvaneveldt has always felt split between two worlds. In one world, they are the adopted child of a large and conservative Mormon family. In another, she is the CEO of a burgeoning fashion empire that pushes boundaries. But in order to be the latter, Adri first has to find the funding. After gaining a hefty following as a social media influencer/model, Adri has the potential customers– if they can get a reliable production model pounded out. And that means a bit of groveling at the feet of investors, most of who have never even heard the term “non-binary”.

But Adri lucks out with Gideon Snow, whose youth and open mind bring much needed funds to make Adri’s dream of diverse, accessible fashion a reality. Of course, lifting a newborn company to its feet is no small task, and late nights drive Adri to occasional stays at Gideon’s nearby house, where their relationship begins stretching beyond business. Adri knows they can’t put an entire business venture at risk for the turbulent whims of their heart. But reason doesn’t always win out.

Excerpt:

      “Hello everyone,” Gideon greeted, feeling kind of stupid staring at a blank computer screen while he spoke. “Republican transphobe here, reporting for duty.”

            Adri laughed, the first genuine sound since they went live. This helped him relax, even though he still felt stupid talking to a computer.

            “That was a joke, by the way,” Adri clarified. “Anyway, Gideon, care to introduce yourself properly?”

            “Sure. Uh, I’m Gideon. I’m the one who convinced Adri to play Gang Basts on stream so you can see how much she sucks at video games. However, she is better than me at practically everything else, so we’re even.” Gideon glanced at the livestream feed, though it wasn’t easy to read considering how fast it was scrolling. He did see one request for his pronouns, something he didn’t think anyone had ever asked him before.

            “He/him,” Adri answered, cutting into his pause before reading out another question. “How did you two get together? Oh, well, it was Gideon’s friend who gave him my contact info, though it was purely business related at the time. Very above board, and we were friends for a while before—” Adri stopped and sighed. “Yes, yes, he’s very cute, can we move on please, chat?”

            “No, let them speak,” Gideon replied, thoroughly enjoying himself at this point. It felt very nice to have a bunch of strangers invested in his personal life. He supposed this was why people liked being famous. “I’m seeing some questions about my sexuality.”

            “You don’t have to answer those,” Adri assured him.

[wandaluvstacos]

Chapter 39 of Good Investment is now up on my Patreon!

Good Investment is available at the $5/month tier. People who pledge $5 a month have access to not only Good Investment but The Sponsors series (ongoing), Pretty Things (complete), May the Blood Run Pure (complete), and Kept Man (complete), along with the $1/month tier books, the Reflections trilogy (ongoing) and The Halfwife (ongoing).

Adri Schvaneveldt has always felt split between two worlds. In one world, they are the adopted child of a large and conservative Mormon family. In another, she is the CEO of a burgeoning fashion empire that pushes boundaries. But in order to be the latter, Adri first has to find the funding. After gaining a hefty following as a social media influencer/model, Adri has the potential customers– if they can get a reliable production model pounded out. And that means a bit of groveling at the feet of investors, most of who have never even heard the term “non-binary”.

But Adri lucks out with Gideon Snow, whose youth and open mind bring much needed funds to make Adri’s dream of diverse, accessible fashion a reality. Of course, lifting a newborn company to its feet is no small task, and late nights drive Adri to occasional stays at Gideon’s nearby house, where their relationship begins stretching beyond business. Adri knows they can’t put an entire business venture at risk for the turbulent whims of their heart. But reason doesn’t always win out.

Excerpt:

“Gideon was the first person I came out to,” Tiffany muttered after finishing off one piece of toast. “Did he tell you that?”  “No.”

“He knew pretty much nothing about transgender people at the time. It was so off his radar it didn’t register. But I trusted him. I’m not saying he handled it great in the beginning because he was so clueless, but afterward he took it upon himself to be a scholar about it. He educated himself, to the point he started to know more about it than I did.” Tiffany’s lips tweaked upward in an affectionate smile. “He’s a good guy, you know. As much shit as I give him, we’ve been through it all together, and he’s stuck by me.”

I love him, Adri wanted to say but couldn’t. It felt too intimate a thought to share with this person Adri had only met yesterday. So she only nodded in agreement.

“I’m so happy you two got together. I learned about you through Instagram a few years ago, and I always thought you had incredible business smarts. You were always, like, super poised, like you had media training as a child. So it’s great Gideon saw that in you, too, even if the money sorta complicates your situation. Truly, though, if anyone was going to get Gideon on the trans train, it was going to be you. Not to be a huge lesbian or whatever, but you’re one of the most gorgeous people I’ve ever met.”

Adri felt herself flush. “Oh, uh, thank you.”

“Just make sure Gideon knows you’re doing him a favor by fucking him, that’s all I’m saying. Never let him take you for granted.”

“I’ll do my best.”

[wandaluvstacos]

Chapter 40 of Good Investment is now up on my Patreon!

Good Investment is available at the $5/month tier. People who pledge $5 a month have access to not only Good Investment but The Sponsors series (ongoing), Pretty Things (complete), May the Blood Run Pure (complete), and Kept Man (complete), along with the $1/month tier books, the Reflections trilogy (ongoing) and The Halfwife (ongoing).

Adri Schvaneveldt has always felt split between two worlds. In one world, they are the adopted child of a large and conservative Mormon family. In another, she is the CEO of a burgeoning fashion empire that pushes boundaries. But in order to be the latter, Adri first has to find the funding. After gaining a hefty following as a social media influencer/model, Adri has the potential customers– if they can get a reliable production model pounded out. And that means a bit of groveling at the feet of investors, most of who have never even heard the term “non-binary”.

But Adri lucks out with Gideon Snow, whose youth and open mind bring much needed funds to make Adri’s dream of diverse, accessible fashion a reality. Of course, lifting a newborn company to its feet is no small task, and late nights drive Adri to occasional stays at Gideon’s nearby house, where their relationship begins stretching beyond business. Adri knows they can’t put an entire business venture at risk for the turbulent whims of their heart. But reason doesn’t always win out.

Excerpt:

“Someone is stalking us!”

“Yeah, it’s Sofia. It’s always fucking Sofia. I just—I can’t—” Adri’s throat closed up, and it suddenly felt like they were breathing through a straw. They started sinking to the floor, and it was only Gideon’s arms keeping them from collapsing entirely. “I can’t breathe,” they gasped through tears.

“Where’s your inhaler?” Gideon asked, then left without Adri answering him, because they really couldn’t right now. They weren’t sure if this was the asthma or a panic attack—it felt like a bit of both. Gideon went digging through Adri’s purse across the room as Adri felt an acute sense of impending doom so chilling and oppressive that they weren’t sure if they’d live or suffocate. The world felt like the constricting walls of a cave inside of which Adri was stuck, like thousands of tons of rock pressing down on their shoulders, keeping them pinned and helpless. For a moment Adri thought they were going to die, which wasn’t helped by the fact that tears were rolling down their face.

Their inhaler was thrust into their hand, but Adri didn’t think it would help. They tried it anyway. Adri also felt Gideon’s hand stroking their back and his brittle but soft voice washing over them from above. Adri set their focus on the weight of Gideon’s hand, closing their eyes to block out everything else. In doing so, more air was able to slip into their lungs. They sucked in deep gulps, desperate to climb out of the cave.

“It’s going to be okay,” Gideon was saying over and over, which Adri only now realized. They reached a trembling hand out to rest on his thigh, trying to find something to grab onto. Gideon’s free hand slid over theirs and squeezed.

The panic attack faded, but the dread did not. Only once Adri had full control of their lungs did they turn to Gideon with a puffy, tear-streaked face and say, “I don’t think it’s going to be okay.”

[wandaluvstacos]

Ilani brings that nonbinary masc energy

me looking at all my nonbinary fem ocs: I just think they're neat.

[wandaluvstacos]

Chapter 32 of Good Investment is now up on my Patreon!

Good Investment is available at the $5/month tier. People who pledge $5 a month have access to not only Good Investment but The Sponsors series (ongoing), Pretty Things (complete), May the Blood Run Pure (complete), and Kept Man (complete), along with the $1/month tier books, the Reflections trilogy (ongoing) and The Halfwife (ongoing).

Adri Schvaneveldt has always felt split between two worlds. In one world, they are the adopted child of a large and conservative Mormon family. In another, she is the CEO of a burgeoning fashion empire that pushes boundaries. But in order to be the latter, Adri first has to find the funding. After gaining a hefty following as a social media influencer/model, Adri has the potential customers– if they can get a reliable production model pounded out. And that means a bit of groveling at the feet of investors, most of who have never even heard the term “non-binary”.

But Adri lucks out with Gideon Snow, whose youth and open mind bring much needed funds to make Adri’s dream of diverse, accessible fashion a reality. Of course, lifting a newborn company to its feet is no small task, and late nights drive Adri to occasional stays at Gideon’s nearby house, where their relationship begins stretching beyond business. Adri knows they can’t put an entire business venture at risk for the turbulent whims of their heart. But reason doesn’t always win out.

Excerpt:

dri always dressed their most masculine at airports because the security situation was so annoying when they got full body scans, and they’d take some misgendering over having their crotch fondled by a TSA agent. Thankfully that whole process went smoothly, so Adri followed Gideon down long hallways and up escalators until they reached their gate. When Adri saw the location on the screen, they gave Gideon a suspicious look.

“That’s right,” Gideon said with a smirk as he sat down on a bench. “I’m taking you to the glamorous city of Newark, New Jersey.”

“Very funny.”

“It’s just a layover.” Gideon patted the bench beside him. “Sit. Relax.”

“Have you ever considered chartering a private flight some time?” Adri asked, sitting beside him, arm rubbing against his. “You could afford it.”

“Oh, the person who chastised me for moving them up to first class is now demanding a private flight?”

Adri laughed. “No, I’m just saying, you could afford it, right?”

“I hate airports, for sure, but do I hate them enough to spend $8k an hour to go from here to Newark? Probably not. Besides. There’s climate change and all that.” Gideon shrugged. “As long as I get to hang out with you, I’m not bothered. First class is fine.”

“So romantic,” Adri joked, nudging him.

“I know. I’m the greatest.”

Adri giggled, nudging him hard. “Shut up.”

[wandaluvstacos]

Chapter 37 of Good Investment is now up on my Patreon!

Good Investment is available at the $5/month tier. People who pledge $5 a month have access to not only Good Investment but The Sponsors series (ongoing), Pretty Things (complete), May the Blood Run Pure (complete), and Kept Man (complete), along with the $1/month tier books, the Reflections trilogy (ongoing) and The Halfwife (ongoing).

Adri Schvaneveldt has always felt split between two worlds. In one world, they are the adopted child of a large and conservative Mormon family. In another, she is the CEO of a burgeoning fashion empire that pushes boundaries. But in order to be the latter, Adri first has to find the funding. After gaining a hefty following as a social media influencer/model, Adri has the potential customers– if they can get a reliable production model pounded out. And that means a bit of groveling at the feet of investors, most of who have never even heard the term “non-binary”.

But Adri lucks out with Gideon Snow, whose youth and open mind bring much needed funds to make Adri’s dream of diverse, accessible fashion a reality. Of course, lifting a newborn company to its feet is no small task, and late nights drive Adri to occasional stays at Gideon’s nearby house, where their relationship begins stretching beyond business. Adri knows they can’t put an entire business venture at risk for the turbulent whims of their heart. But reason doesn’t always win out.

Excerpt:

Adri crossed the space between them and took his head in their hands, planting a kiss on his forehead before pulling back to ask, “How invested are you in being straight?”  “Invested?” Gideon’s brows wrinkled. “It’s not about investment, it’s just how I am.”

“I think you’re invested in it,” Adri replied gently. “But I think that instead of trying to deal with the dissonance of being straight and also being in love with me, maybe you decide you are what you are. Maybe you’re a little queer. Would that be so bad?”

Gideon blinked at Adri for a second like they were speaking tongues. Was it truly something he’d never considered? “I’m not attracted to men. Like, at all.”

“You don’t have to be attracted to men to be a little queer. I’m not a man. But I’m not a woman either.”

“I’d say you lean much more heavily on the woman side though.”

Adri snorted, dropping their hands to Gideon’s shoulders. “I’m not ninety percent woman and ten percent man. I’m neither. I’m a secret, third thing.”

Gideon chuckled. “Yeah, okay. A secret, third thing that wears make-up and heels and acrylic nails.”

“Is that what you’re attracted to?”

“I mean…” Gideon’s eyes darted down to Adri’s feet before returning to their gaze. “Kind of. Not all of it. Some of it, for sure.”

“Is that the only thing you’re attracted to? My feminine traits?”  “Well, no, but—”

“I thought I was a woman for a few years, and I tried so hard to keep myself in that box because I knew it’d be easier. Obviously it was harder than being a cis man, but with hormones and all that, at least I could attempt passing. But the more I thought about it the more I realized I was putting myself in a box for other people’s benefit more than my own. Being nonbinary didn’t mean I didn’t have an identity or a gender, it just meant defining the boundaries was a pointless exercise. I didn’t care about the definitions or the limits imposed upon me. I only wanted to be me. I think we should see sexuality much of the same way. We all like what we like, and if we don’t feel pressured to define it, then we would all feel much more free.”

“That’s what my uncle would call hippy-dippy.”

Adri chuckled. “Maybe. But it’s my truth.”

Gideon leaned forward, his forehead resting on Adri’s collarbone as his arms slipped around them. “I get what you’re saying, but I’m afraid to say that the world out there doesn’t see things the way you do.”

“Who cares? It’s no one else’s business.”

“People will make it their business.”

Adri ran their fingers through Gideon’s hair. “I know.”

“I’m not really ready to give up on being straight.”

Adri smiled. “I’m not going to pressure you into anything. I’m just saying you should think about it.”

[wandaluvstacos]

Chapter 36 of Good Investment is now up on my Patreon!

Good Investment is available at the $5/month tier. People who pledge $5 a month have access to not only Good Investment but The Sponsors series (ongoing), Pretty Things (complete), May the Blood Run Pure (complete), and Kept Man (complete), along with the $1/month tier books, the Reflections trilogy (ongoing) and The Halfwife (ongoing).

Adri Schvaneveldt has always felt split between two worlds. In one world, they are the adopted child of a large and conservative Mormon family. In another, she is the CEO of a burgeoning fashion empire that pushes boundaries. But in order to be the latter, Adri first has to find the funding. After gaining a hefty following as a social media influencer/model, Adri has the potential customers– if they can get a reliable production model pounded out. And that means a bit of groveling at the feet of investors, most of who have never even heard the term “non-binary”.

But Adri lucks out with Gideon Snow, whose youth and open mind bring much needed funds to make Adri’s dream of diverse, accessible fashion a reality. Of course, lifting a newborn company to its feet is no small task, and late nights drive Adri to occasional stays at Gideon’s nearby house, where their relationship begins stretching beyond business. Adri knows they can’t put an entire business venture at risk for the turbulent whims of their heart. But reason doesn’t always win out.

Excerpt:

“Okay,” Tiffany finally said, voice quiet. “I get it. I am happy for you, you know. For once you get to date another ex-Mormon with the same fucked up coping skills as you.”

Gideon chuckled. “Yeah, we understand each other on a level I can’t explain to people who aren’t from Utah.” He inhaled shakily. “She’s so sweet, but not in the way my parents pretend to be. She’s genuine. And talented, of course. She’s… she’s a lot of things.” Again, Gideon glanced at the patio door.

“Aww, Giddy. You’re so cute when you’re in love.” Gideon wasn’t sure if she was making fun of him, but he decided to be generous and assume she wasn’t.

“Anyway, I probably should go. I’m sure it’s late there.”

“Only eleven-thirty. You go and enjoy your sexy vacation with your sexy mistress. Think about what we discussed, but also try not to get food poisoning.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll do my best.”

“Good luuuuuuuck,” Tiffany sang, then hung up.

Gideon sank back into the patio chair for a few minutes, just staring out across the ocean. Then he hauled himself to his feet and pushed the sliding patio door back, finally granted a decent look inside the room. Adri’s form was still nestled under the puffy white comforter, one slim arm stretched out across the pillow he’d abandoned. His chest swelled with emotions he struggled to contain, and he stepped lightly across the space between the door and the bed to rest a knee on the mattress and lean over Adri. They were mostly buried in sheets, but their bare shoulders and neck were exposed. Gideon pressed a hand to their skin, reveling in the texture of it before dropping his head and kissing the dip between neck and shoulder. Adri moaned softly and shifted, rolling onto their back before their eyes fluttered open, two warm pools of blackish-brown that Gideon wanted to dive into and curl up with like he did his cat.

“Morning,” Adri said with a sweet, sleepy smile.

“Hey,” Gideon replied, smiling in kind.

Adri reached up with thin fingers and pastel pink claws to push some hair off his forehead, then dropped a thumb to the center of his forehead, teasing out what must be a wrinkle. “Everything okay?”

Gideon braced an arm on Adri’s opposite side, which freed up his other hand to rub their forearm until they dropped it, allowing him to wind their fingers together. The distress that his conversation with Tiffany had rustled up now felt a thousand miles away. Love really had his brain simmering in its own juices like a slow-cooked turkey.

“Everything’s fine,” he told them, squeezing their hand.

[wandaluvstacos]

Chapter 33 of Good Investment is now up on my Patreon!

Good Investment is available at the $5/month tier. People who pledge $5 a month have access to not only Good Investment but The Sponsors series (ongoing), Pretty Things (complete), May the Blood Run Pure (complete), and Kept Man (complete), along with the $1/month tier books, the Reflections trilogy (ongoing) and The Halfwife (ongoing).

Adri Schvaneveldt has always felt split between two worlds. In one world, they are the adopted child of a large and conservative Mormon family. In another, she is the CEO of a burgeoning fashion empire that pushes boundaries. But in order to be the latter, Adri first has to find the funding. After gaining a hefty following as a social media influencer/model, Adri has the potential customers– if they can get a reliable production model pounded out. And that means a bit of groveling at the feet of investors, most of who have never even heard the term “non-binary”.

But Adri lucks out with Gideon Snow, whose youth and open mind bring much needed funds to make Adri’s dream of diverse, accessible fashion a reality. Of course, lifting a newborn company to its feet is no small task, and late nights drive Adri to occasional stays at Gideon’s nearby house, where their relationship begins stretching beyond business. Adri knows they can’t put an entire business venture at risk for the turbulent whims of their heart. But reason doesn’t always win out.

Excerpt:

Adri’s impractical six-inch heels didn’t do well on cobblestone, so at some point she took them off and carried them in a hand as she finished the rest of their journey to the room barefoot. Right before she pushed the door open, Gideon swung out an arm to stop her.

“What?” she asked, eyebrow raised.

“Because this is supposed to be a romantic vacation, I have to try something.”

“Like—oh!” Adri let out a surprised laugh as Gideon attempted to bend down and pick her up. But she was much heavier than she looked, and carrying her like a new bride into their hotel room proved much harder on his back and his ego than he’d predicted. Still, he did manage, and she seemed very amused and delighted by his attempt, which made it worth it.

“Easy peasy,” Gideon huffed, hoping he hadn’t pulled anything in his back. He was too old to be doing this shit.

“Consider me properly wooed,” Adri said, rubbing a hand over his arm. “You’re so cute.”

“Yeah, well.” He straightened with a wince. “That’s my job. You’re the smart successful business person, I’m the hot one. That’s the dynamic.”

Adri smoothed a hand over the collar of his shirt, smiling. “This smart successful business person is going to take a couple minutes to change into something more comfortable.”

“May I suggest five-inch heels?”

Adri knocked her shoes against his chest before stalking away. “If you don’t like me wearing the shoes, then maybe try not to stare at me so much when I wear them.” She looked at him over her shoulder with a smirk before vanishing into a bathroom.

“A couple minutes” turned into more like forty-five minutes, and Gideon was starting to wonder if Adri had drowned in a bathtub or something. He decided to go to the door and knock.

“You okay in there or do I need to call for an ambulance?” Gideon asked.

“One sec,” came Adri’s response.

“You said ‘a couple of minutes’ forty-five minutes ago so I’m starting to distrust your understanding of time. Was it something you ate?”

“Ew, Gideon, no, I’m just—two seconds, okay?”

“Oookay,” Gideon replied, then wandered back to the bed to twiddle his thumbs for a bit. It wasn’t two seconds, but it was a reasonable minute or so before the bathroom door opened and out walked Adri in the same heels she’d abandoned on the walk back to the hotel room, but the relatively conservative maroon dress was gone. In its place were thigh-high nylon stockings with garter straps and a garter belt, black underwear, and some kind of long and flowy black lace robe that was tightly affixed to her torso from the waist to her sternum but otherwise flowed out and away from her legs and arms. With a wily grin, she struck a pose with her back and one foot resting against the bathroom threshold, cocking a shoulder as she grabbed the bottom of her long robe and held it high like a tango dancer before tossing it away dramatically.

“Well? How does this smart successful business person look now?” Adri asked.

[wandaluvstacos]

Chapter 30 of Good Investment is now up on my Patreon!

Good Investment is available at the $5/month tier. People who pledge $5 a month have access to not only Good Investment but The Sponsors series (ongoing), Pretty Things (complete), May the Blood Run Pure (complete), and Kept Man (complete), along with the $1/month tier books, the Reflections trilogy (ongoing) and The Halfwife (ongoing).

Adri Schvaneveldt has always felt split between two worlds. In one world, they are the adopted child of a large and conservative Mormon family. In another, she is the CEO of a burgeoning fashion empire that pushes boundaries. But in order to be the latter, Adri first has to find the funding. After gaining a hefty following as a social media influencer/model, Adri has the potential customers– if they can get a reliable production model pounded out. And that means a bit of groveling at the feet of investors, most of who have never even heard the term “non-binary”.

But Adri lucks out with Gideon Snow, whose youth and open mind bring much needed funds to make Adri’s dream of diverse, accessible fashion a reality. Of course, lifting a newborn company to its feet is no small task, and late nights drive Adri to occasional stays at Gideon’s nearby house, where their relationship begins stretching beyond business. Adri knows they can’t put an entire business venture at risk for the turbulent whims of their heart. But reason doesn’t always win out.

Excerpt:

“Adri.” Gideon rubbed the back of Adri’s neck, so they pulled back enough for their eyes to meet. “You are more important than the work. If you need a day off, take a day off.” After a pause, Gideon pursed his lips. “Actually, we should take a vacation.”

“A vacation? Where?”

“I’ll have to think about it. But one thing I do know.” Gideon slid a hand up the back of Adri’s sweater and gently swiped his knuckles along their skin. “You will not be planning a single second of it.”

“Can I pick the location?”

“Nope.”

“Gideon, be serious.”

“I am. I will take care of everything. All you have to do is show up at the airport when I say.”

Adri pouted, which only made them look more adorable. “Okay, but I can’t do more than a week.”

“It’s going to be at leasttwo weeks.”

“Gideon!”

Gideon giggled, squeezing Adri tighter against him. Adri pretended to be upset but soon started laughing with him, and all indignation was lost in the few seconds it took for them to start making out again. Over the course of a few minutes, Gideon got himself on top of Adri, and Adri slid their thighs open to frame his hips like it was second nature. Some weed mellowed Gideon out too much to fuck, but this strain didn’t seem to have much of an effect on his boner.

“Adri?” he whispered amidst a kiss.

“Hmm?” They didn’t even open their eyes.

“Do you like it when I take control like that?”

“Like scheduling me a vacation?” Their smile was blissed out and giddy.

“Yes. But also maybe when we fuck, too.”

“Oh. Ah, well…” Adri’s complexion was light enough that Gideon could see them blush even darker than what their make-out session had left them. “Maaaaybe.” They bit their lip. “I’m in charge of so much at work. It feels good to just…”

“Let me take the wheel?”

Adri’s reply arrived in a heavy exhale. “Yeah.”

[wandaluvstacos]

Chapter 28 of Good Investment is now up on my Patreon!

Good Investment is available at the $5/month tier. People who pledge $5 a month have access to not only Good Investment but The Sponsors series (ongoing), Pretty Things (complete), May the Blood Run Pure (complete), and Kept Man (complete), along with the $1/month tier books, the Reflections trilogy (ongoing) and The Halfwife (ongoing).

Adri Schvaneveldt has always felt split between two worlds. In one world, they are the adopted child of a large and conservative Mormon family. In another, she is the CEO of a burgeoning fashion empire that pushes boundaries. But in order to be the latter, Adri first has to find the funding. After gaining a hefty following as a social media influencer/model, Adri has the potential customers– if they can get a reliable production model pounded out. And that means a bit of groveling at the feet of investors, most of who have never even heard the term “non-binary”.

But Adri lucks out with Gideon Snow, whose youth and open mind bring much needed funds to make Adri’s dream of diverse, accessible fashion a reality. Of course, lifting a newborn company to its feet is no small task, and late nights drive Adri to occasional stays at Gideon’s nearby house, where their relationship begins stretching beyond business. Adri knows they can’t put an entire business venture at risk for the turbulent whims of their heart. But reason doesn’t always win out.

Excerpt:

“Ah, here it is.” Gideon turned the laptop so Adri could see the screen. On it was a photo of him and Tiffany at a train station in Copenhagen, with Gideon in his newly-acquired bomber jacket.

“This is you?” Adri asked, leaning in closer to see the picture. “You’ve got long hair and a beard!”

“My Jesus days, yeah.”

Adri giggled, finding immense pleasure in this. “You look very punk rock. What happened to that?” They gave Gideon a pointed once-over.

“Ah. Well, you see, there is an age at which every white man takes a good hard look at a cardigan sweater and thinks—I will look good in that.”

Adri snorted, then started laughing, resting one hand on his arm as they used the other to half-cover their mouth. They were so fucking cute. The only reason Gideon told half of his stupid jokes was to make pretty girls laugh. He was glad he hadn’t yet aged out of it.

“You do look good in cardigan sweaters though,” Adri chuckled.

“That’s your Mormon damage talking.”

Adri laughed again, snorting a little.

“Anyway, this was how I dressed back then. And that’s the jacket.”

“I can see why you liked it. You look very dashing.”

“Thank you.”

“And that’s Tiffany?” Adri asked, pointing to the similarly bearded person standing beside Gideon, though she’d shaved her head down to a buzzcut at the time.

“Yeah.”

“How’d you two meet?”

“I used to hang out at this coffee shop that a lot of Americans would go to. She was a year older than me and in a study-abroad program, so we met there. We had a lot in common, beyond just a shared interest in computers. She’d grown up in rural Idaho with prepper parents. They were big conspiracy nuts and they homeschooled her up until high school, so she was sheltered and sort of an outcast like me. She dropped out of college and decided to stay in the Netherlands with me, so we went to the university there together.” As he spoke, Adri flipped through the files in the folder, most of which showed Gideon’s travels at the time. Tiffany was in some of them, but so were a lot of other friends that Gideon had fallen out of touch with. In one, Gideon straddled a bike with a pretty brunette riding sidesaddle on the back, her purse cradled in her lap.

“Who’s that?” Adri asked with a lifted eyebrow.

“Ah. Chloé. My girlfriend at the time. She was French. She barely spoke any English, and I barely spoke any French. But it’s fine, cuz we honestly didn’t do much talking.”

Adri snorted. “Ah. I see.”

“It’s a good thing, too, because I think the only reason she liked me is because she didn’t have a fucking clue what I was saying.” It had been a long time since Gideon had thought about her. She was fun and he’d enjoyed their time together, but he’d hardly known anything about her except how to finger her to orgasm in the bathroom of a train to Turin, Italy. Valuable knowledge, sure, but he couldn’t even recall her last name.

“Sounds like you were quite the Casanova.”

“I was a goofball American kid up to do anything with anyone. You find people to hang out with pretty easily.”

“It sounds amazing. I’m a little jealous. While you were off traversing Europe at nineteen, I was stuck trying to talk to strangers in the DC area about Joseph Smith.”

[wandaluvstacos]

Chapter 34 of Good Investment is now up on my Patreon!

Good Investment is available at the $5/month tier. People who pledge $5 a month have access to not only Good Investment but The Sponsors series (ongoing), Pretty Things (complete), May the Blood Run Pure (complete), and Kept Man (complete), along with the $1/month tier books, the Reflections trilogy (ongoing) and The Halfwife (ongoing).

Adri Schvaneveldt has always felt split between two worlds. In one world, they are the adopted child of a large and conservative Mormon family. In another, she is the CEO of a burgeoning fashion empire that pushes boundaries. But in order to be the latter, Adri first has to find the funding. After gaining a hefty following as a social media influencer/model, Adri has the potential customers– if they can get a reliable production model pounded out. And that means a bit of groveling at the feet of investors, most of who have never even heard the term “non-binary”.

But Adri lucks out with Gideon Snow, whose youth and open mind bring much needed funds to make Adri’s dream of diverse, accessible fashion a reality. Of course, lifting a newborn company to its feet is no small task, and late nights drive Adri to occasional stays at Gideon’s nearby house, where their relationship begins stretching beyond business. Adri knows they can’t put an entire business venture at risk for the turbulent whims of their heart. But reason doesn’t always win out.

Excerpt:

Adri had hoped to sleep in, but Gideon’s alarm went off at eight-thirty, thus jolting both of them awake. Instead of apologizing and turning it off, Gideon rolled over in bed, grabbed the phone, and then sat up to stare at it a moment before silencing it. Then he slid out of bed, crossing the space between the bed and where he’d put his suitcase.

“You going somewhere?” Adri asked with a yawn, admiring Gideon’s naked body from behind.

“I scheduled us a tour at the Palau de l'Almudaina at 10 today.”

“What’s that?”

“A Spanish palace. I hear the royals aren’t there much though, so it’s mostly a tourist trap. That okay with you?”

“No, it sounds great. I’m just still adjusting to this time zone shift.” Adri flopped back down into their extremely soft pillow, then turned to watch Gideon put on a pair of beige linen slacks. Who had taught this man how to dress? Adri questioned his sexuality more from the fact he knew how to dress than that he was attracted to them. Having grown up around Mormon boys, Adri knew for a fact that none of them knew about the existence of anything other than too-large jeans and polyester suits. Maybe it was because he’d spent so much time in Europe. As he tied the two laces at the waist, he seemed to notice Adri watching him.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing.” Adri couldn’t contain their goofy smile and rolled onto their stomach to hide half of it with their pillow. “You’re just so beautiful.”

For a second Gideon looked utterly baffled. Then his face grew a little pink before he brushed it off with a, “No one’s called me that before.”

“No? That’s unfortunate.”

“Not really a thing women call men.”

“They should. I’m an equal opportunity complimenter.” Adri watched Gideon a moment before stretching a hand out across the bed. “Come here.”

Gideon dropped the laces on his pants and went to the bed, sliding a leg up onto the mattress and leaning toward Adri. “What?”

“Closer.”

Gideon chuckled and pushed himself closer, close enough to lean down on an elbow and press his nose into Adri’s cheek. “Close enough?”

Adri giggled and grasped his face with both hands, pulling him in for a kiss. The morning breath wasn’t terribly pleasant, but Adri didn’t mind for once. When Gideon pulled back, Adri smiled up at him.

“You’re so pretty and cute and beautiful,” Adri said, and Gideon laughed before kissing her again.

“Don’t get too carried away,” he said softly. “I get the gist.”

[wandaluvstacos]

Chapter 31 of Good Investment is now up on my Patreon!

Good Investment is available at the $5/month tier. People who pledge $5 a month have access to not only Good Investment but The Sponsors series (ongoing), Pretty Things (complete), May the Blood Run Pure (complete), and Kept Man (complete), along with the $1/month tier books, the Reflections trilogy (ongoing) and The Halfwife (ongoing).

Adri Schvaneveldt has always felt split between two worlds. In one world, they are the adopted child of a large and conservative Mormon family. In another, she is the CEO of a burgeoning fashion empire that pushes boundaries. But in order to be the latter, Adri first has to find the funding. After gaining a hefty following as a social media influencer/model, Adri has the potential customers– if they can get a reliable production model pounded out. And that means a bit of groveling at the feet of investors, most of who have never even heard the term “non-binary”.

But Adri lucks out with Gideon Snow, whose youth and open mind bring much needed funds to make Adri’s dream of diverse, accessible fashion a reality. Of course, lifting a newborn company to its feet is no small task, and late nights drive Adri to occasional stays at Gideon’s nearby house, where their relationship begins stretching beyond business. Adri knows they can’t put an entire business venture at risk for the turbulent whims of their heart. But reason doesn’t always win out.

Excerpt:

“What do I owe you for the reservations?” Adri asked, and Gideon laughed, like they had told a joke.

“Nothing,” Gideon replied.

“It can’t be nothing. I want to cover something.”

“Sure, you can purchase the snacks on the plane.”

“Gideon,” Adri chided as Gideon laughed.

“Don’t worry about what you owe me.”

“I am going to worry. That’s what I do best. I really want to cover something. It’d make me feel better.”

“Why? Why would it make you feel better?”

Adri bit their lip a moment before realizing they were still wearing lipstick. It was probably all over their teeth at this point. “I don’t want to feel like some kind of… kept woman.”

“Is that how you think I see you?”

“I just prefer things to be equal.”

“Consider this reparations.”

“Gideon,” Adri said again, and Gideon snorted. “Be serious.”

“I am serious, sort of. I have more money than you. Therefore, I pick up most of the tab. I’m not hurting for money. At some point you run out of things to buy. It’s really not something I’m going to lose any sleep over.” Gideon sobered slightly at Adri’s expression, and he slid a hand through theirs, squeezing it. “Listen, I don’t want to step on your sense of pride. I know you could cover your fare share. I’m not doing this to win points or show off. I’m doing this because I want to, and because I care about you. I like spending time with you. So I decided I will spend two weeks of interrupted time somewhere nice with you, and that’s as complicated as it needs to be.”

“It’s just… a lot,” Adri muttered.

“I’m not asking you to marry me.”

“I’m not even your…” Adri paused, wondering if they wanted to have this conversation now, or if it’d ruin the mood of a previously fun and romantic evening. “I mean, we aren’t—are we?”

“Are we what?”

“Together,” Adri said with a hint of embarrassment, like they were sixteen and asking out a date for prom.

Gideon’s brow knitted with confusion. “As opposed to what, apart?”

“You know what I mean.”

“Ah, now that you mention it, I do have a couple other girls I’m dating on the side I haven’t brought up until now. You don’t mind if we bring them along on our trip, do you?”

Adri let out a sigh and turned away, releasing his hand. “Everything is such a joke to you.”

“I just don’t know how much more obvious I can make it that I’m serious about you.”