How to Get One Million Reads on Wattpad (a novel)

2) Meet Complicated

Waving, Derek watched as Stacy's hatchback disappeared around the bend, already trying to compose a text to her in his mind.

Fuck, she had been hot: a brunette with curves in just the right places. And the flush on her neck when she looked at him, let him know she didn't even realize how hot she was, which somehow made her even hotter.

And the way she bit her lip when she was nervous. Just, damn.

She had large brown eyes and long lashes, and her V-neck t-shirt showed off the soft shadow at the edge of her clavicle. She'd gob smacked him. He'd barely been able to talk.

He looked over at Brody, who was watching him with an amused grin. "Feel like a knight in shining armor?"

Derek rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I guess. I mean, she was a literal damsel in distress, wasn't she?"

They turned and headed back up to the park, Brody swinging the GoPro in one hand.

"Better delete that number," Brody said. "Don't even think about it."

With dramatic flair, Derek slipped his cell phone back into his pocket and gave it a gentle pat. "Don't want to disappoint my damsel."

As they reached the park, Derek saw that their water bottles and his shirt were still on the bench where they had left them. It was a lucky coincidence that he'd been showing off his urban-equipment workout routine when Stacy had wrecked her tire. Most girls seemed to find his abs irresistible.

"Seriously, dude? Another straight girl?" Brody quipped, his tone light but with a subtle undertone of concern. The sun glinted off his GoPro as he set it down on the bench, casting a shadow that danced on the ground. He picked up his water bottle and unscrewed the top.

Derek sucked his teeth. "Why not? She seemed interested, and besides, I'm fully transitioned now. Why can't I date a hot girl like her?" His voice was confident, with a touch of defiance.

With the water bottle hovering before his mouth, Brody's eyes drifted over Derek's well-sculpted body, and he shot back with a teasing grin, "Fully, huh? Are you sure? Although you were giving off some serious BDE back there." Brody laughed. "Especially for someone with such a small dick." He tilted his head back and took a long drink.

"Fuck you, man, you don't know what I'm packing." Derek bumped Brody with his shoulder, causing a splash of water to dribble down his beard.

"Oh, I don't?" Brody lifted an eyebrow as he turned his chin and wiped it on his sleeve. "Pretty sure you left your packer drying on the dish rack just last night."

Derek grabbed his crotch. "Exactly. And you don't know which one I chose for today."

Brody's laughter rang out, genuine and unguarded.

Right at that moment, a young mom entered the park, pushing a stroller with an apple-juice drinking toddler kicking at his footrest. She gave Derek and Brody a suspicious look as she parked the stroller near the swing set.

Derek slipped his shirt back on over his head and picked up his water bottle. He smiled and nodded at the woman, but she didn't return the courtesy.

Grabbing the GoPro, Brody tilted his head toward their apartment and they left. Once they were on the sidewalk, he looked back over at Derek, his eyes softening. "Look, I just don't want to see you get hurt again. The thing with Emily wasn't that long ago."

Derek's smile waned. "Emily was different," he said. Then his voice dropped to a whisper, "She was a fangirl who knew I was trans when we met."

"Well..." Brody shrugged. "If you date Stacy, you're going to need to tell her, eventually."