F*cking Awkward by Christine Zolendz, Taryn Plendl, Ahren Sanders, Brooke Page, Aly Martinez, Carey Heywood, Brooke Blaine, A.D. Justice, Amanda Maxlyn, B.A. Wolfe Page B

and the way I felt was unlike anything I had ever experienced. I wanted this so bad my whole body was tingling, the room spinning, my skin flashing in a heat so hot I’d swear I was on fire.
    “TJ . . .” I murmured.
    “Yeah,” he said, his voice soft, mimicking mine. His fingers were making quick work of my bra and I couldn’t wait to be free of it, to feel the cool touch of his hands on my bare breasts.
    “I . . . I . . .”
    “Yeah, Mel. You want this, don’t you?” TJ leaned closer to me, my breasts spilling out of my bra as my straps fell down my shoulders.
    “Yesssss,” I admitted. “I . . . I . . .” My words lodged somewhere between my tightening throat and churning stomach. “I think I’m gonna be sick.” My eyes popped open and I slammed a hand over my mouth.
    TJ’s ninja instincts kicked into gear but it was too late. Vomit spewed all over his button down shirt. I was kind of glad I had forgotten to take that off now. At least, it saved his skin.
    TJ dropped the bucket that he had grabbed. “I guess there’s no need for that.” He grimaced as he stared down at his chest, his brows pulled in tight.
    I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, getting rid of the remnants. My mouth twisted to the side as I surveyed the damage. “I am so sorry, TJ.”
    “Actually, I think we, uh, are done now after all.” His eyes wouldn’t leave his shirt and the worst part was half of me wanted to laugh at the situation. The other half wanted to crawl inside the bucket and never come out. How was I ever going to look at this man again?
    How was he going to look at me the same way again?
    I palmed my forehead. “Oh, God. I really am sorry.”
    TJ made quick work of the small buttons, moving carefully around the ones covered in puke. He pulled his arms out of the shirt and left it behind him.
    His beautifully crafted chest stared back at me and I sighed at the sight. And then I held a hand over my mouth, nausea creeping back once again. “I need to get out of here.”
    Once standing, TJ helped me put my skirt back on and then grabbed my bra. He held it out as I put my arms through the holes and pulled the straps up onto my shoulders. TJ moved behind me and clasped the bra closed. As I was sliding the shirt over my head, my heart stopped at the sound of the door clicking open and another female voice shrieking.
    "Oh, shit! This isn’t the bathroom. Uh . . . Moose?"
    I yanked my shirt down over my face, eyeing the girl. My pulse pounded in my ears as I watched her eyes ping pong from TJ, aka Moose, back to me. TJ stood there, his face turning a deep color of red. "Kacey? What are you doing?”
    I whipped my head back to the girl who just stood there with the door open to the world, my drunken self half naked in front of her.
    "Opps. Sorry.” She hiccupped and then pinched her eyes shut for a long beat. “I had a little too much to drink. Wrong door I guess. I should . . . um . . . I should go now."
    The door slammed shut and I gulped through the tennis ball stuck in my throat. "Who in the hell was that?" I asked TJ, my voice cracking in panic and anger.
    He scrubbed a hand down his face and exhaled so hard I felt his breath hit my bare stomach. "She’s my friend.” His head bobbed side to side, his mouth twisting. “Kinda sorta, an ex."
    "Awesome! Just great." My hands flew up to my sides. "’Cause that’s not awkward at all!"
    A low chuckle escaped him and my jaw locked tight. "I'll talk to her. It’ll be fine. She probably won’t even remember." I lowered my gaze on him, shooting daggers his way. “Let’s just get you home, woman. Before you ruin my jeans, too.”
    I nodded. There was no part of this tequlia soaked night that could be salvaged. It was time to call it quits. The ride in his truck to the house Cassie and I were staying at was quick. Neither of us spoke, the radio stayed silent, but the awkwardness sat like a huge fucking elephant between us.
    TJ pulled up to the house and I quickly