Throttled (Dirty Air 1)

Liam stares at me like I’m talking to him in another language. Yeah, he speaks German, but he understands English fine.

“Why are we doing this again?” His voice matches the incredulous look on his face.

“Because I want us all to have fun before the race. What’s so hard to believe?” I control the urge to roll my eyes.

“Uh yeah. Your usual pre

-race fun involves being balls deep inside of a model.”

I punch him in the arm. “Fuck you. Don’t tell Maya I planned this because then she won’t come.” My teeth grind together—my new bad habit lately, kind of like stalking Maya’s social media accounts. I’ve become that guy. The one checking her profile to the point of addiction, sneaking quick glances at what she does to fill the void of her absence.

Jax and Liam can take credit while I pretend to join because I don’t want her to find out I put in this much effort. Her avoiding me for weeks forced me to plan something drastic for her attention.

“All right no need to hit so hard. I’ll meet you there.” He rubs his arm and pouts.

Liam pulls up to the kart track an hour later. Jax, Maya, and Sophie hop out of the rental car. I didn’t invite Santi because I’m not a total dumbass, mainly because he’s been paying extra attention to me recently, sneaking random glances whenever his sister gets close.

Maya’s mouth gapes open when she sees me standing there.

“We’re going karting?” Sophie claps her hands and bounces around, her blonde braids swaying around her while Liam checks her out. He gives me a hard time with Maya when he makes heart eyes at Sophie.

“I haven’t done this since I was a kid.” Maya looks at the helmet in my hand. She blushes when I pass it to her, our hands grazing against each other.

“You only had an opportunity to ride karts when you stole your brother’s. So here’s your chance to drive them for real. Don’t put any unicorn stickers on them.” That totally makes it sound like I planned this. There goes my idea of her not knowing about it. Real subtle, Noah.

“Oh, no. But you guys are professionals. How is that even remotely fair?” Sophie crosses her arms over her chest.

Maya rubs her hands together while she shoots Sophie a grin full of mischief.

“Sophie, they’re used to fast cars. We’ve got this.”

That gleam in her eye? Definitely should be worried; no doubt she wants to kick our asses.

Turns out Maya does precisely that on the first run. I had no clue she was talented with a kart, and fuck it turns me on. I could blame the fact that I haven’t kart-raced in a while, but she’s a natural at it. Absolutely wiped the track with us.

My dick twitches at Maya sitting there, gloating in her kart, arms up in the air in triumph. She looks sexy as fuck with her helmet and borrowed race suit. I didn’t peg myself for having a racing fetish, but looking at her now makes me rethink the idea, especially when she whips off her helmet to reveal messy hair.

An unknown sensation from the top of my head to the tips of my toes surges through me at planning something she likes. She smiles at Sophie from the mini podium they have meant for kids. I wish she would smile at me like she does with others, beautiful with a hint of trouble. Liam and I grab the champagne bottles I kept hidden in a bag and spray them all over the girls.

“Hello, aren’t we the ones who should be spraying champagne?” Maya gets the words out between laughs.

Liam and I pass them new bottles that are the same ones we use on the stage. Went for the full F1 effect today. I pop the cork before letting go, the bottle nearly dropping before Maya grips it with two hands.

Maya proceeds to pour it all over me. The cool liquid runs down my shirt, wet material plastering to my torso. Her eyes heat up at the sight of my abs before they roam over my body. I give her a wicked smile. She hops off the stage, lunging to the side, but my reflexes make me quicker.

I haul her over my shoulder like a fireman’s carry. She squirms about, making it difficult for me to hold on to her. My hand smacks her ass playfully to get her to stop.

“Ay! Watch it. That’s the no-go zone.” She shakes from laughter.

No clue what the no-go zone is, but I’m all for exploring it. She should know by now that I don’t follow the rules, preferring to bend them into submission.

“Precious cargo. Everyone, please move out of the way.”

Kids and parents part at my request. Maya’s giggles turn into a snort, which makes her laugh more, her body vibrating against mine.

“The blood’s rushing to my head. I can’t think straight.”

“Join the club.” I refer to a different head than she is. She gets the joke a second too late and her body shakes from more laughter.