Throttled (Dirty Air 1)

He smacks my ass while we climb to visit the statue. By the time we reach the top, my lungs ache and my legs wobble.

“You never look this sweaty after sex with me. Am I not working you hard enough?” Noah’s smile matches the mischievous shine in his eye.

I shoot him a half-assed glare. “Not all of us like to visit the gym at five in the morning. This is the most I’ve worked out all year.”

He shakes his head at me. “Don’t discount all the times I’ve fucked you. Better than any cardio you’ll do at a hotel gym.”

“Look at you solving all of my problems.” I genuinely smile up at him.

My phone rings, vibrating inside of my leggings’ pocket. I may not work out but at least I look the part.

“Let me take this. It’s Santi.” I walk away before Noah protests. He stays put, checking out the view while I sit on a bench.

“Hola, hermana. You forgot to check in earlier.” Santi’s voice carries through the small speaker.

My hand holding the phone shakes as uneasiness settles in my stomach. “Sorry about that. We got busy.” Not a lie per se.

“How’s the weather over there? Heard a storm may be coming in before the race.”

The sun shines down on me, not a cloud in sight. I hang out in the shadow of one of Christ’s open arms, which is ironic since I’m lying to my brother.

“Don’t worry about that because it’s bright and sunny here. You still have a few days before you need to come over anyway.”

“How’s little miss Sophie doing?”

“Good.” I choke on the word. “Hanging out at the famous statue before visiting Sugarloaf Mountain.”

I promise once this season is over, I will tell the truth no matter what. Noah tells me how much he wants to date me after the season ends. Hopefully, my relationship with him is worth the nausea I feel every time I lie to my brother.

“Well lucky you’re having a good time. Noah stood me up at a sponsor event, which meant I had to spend five hours talking to people by myself. I hated every second of it.”

My chest tightens. “Oh, no.” Wow, Maya. Please act less surprised.

“Yeah, no shit ‘oh, no.’ He acts tough and entitled, too good to pick up the phone and let me know he wouldn’t be saving my ass from dead-end conversations. But whatever, I survived.”

The three of us need another tequila bonding session.

“At least you love those types of events. Sucks he didn’t show.” Sucks he was in bed with me while you were schmoozing. I might as well shower in holy water to cleanse myself from my deception.

“Yeah, maybe for the first hour. But I can’t even take a piss without someone asking me a question about the season or my teammate.”

I laugh at the mental picture Santi paints me. “Well, I better get going.”

“Right. Your travel buddy has replaced me.”

Santi clenches a fist around my heart without knowing it.

I fight to get the words out. “Never, you’re always my number one.”

“I better be. Catch you later.” He hangs up the phone.

Noah grins at me from across the cobbled platform. I offer a weak smile and a small wave, taking deep breaths to ease the tension building in my head.

I hope all this worry is worth it because unlike Noah, I don’t welcome trouble with open arms and a kiss.

“You disappeared three times already tonight. You even abandoned me with Charles Wolfe. Of all people, that’s low, Maya.” Santi’s voice comes out whiny.

I shoot him a sweet smile and shrug my shoulders. He dislikes that sponsor, sharing how the guy gets drunk and has a preference for hugging it out. Brown eyes glare down at me with a hint of amusement.