Page 39 of Beautifully Devoted

“This is either the most elaborate prank in the world.” Jagger swings his head around like he’s looking for the culprit trying to fuck with him. “Or TV people are really hard up for shit to put on the air.”

“Ooooh!” Cruz and Liam fall into a fit of giggles as one of the fighters, in his effort to back away and dodge blows from the other, hits the ropes and falls backward out of the ring.

“Why is that guy running away? It’s a goddam pillow.” Jagger slaps a hand over his face like he can’t fathom what he’s seeing.

“It’s a point thing.” Bennet lets out an exasperated breath.

“You have to dodge it completely or you get a point against you,” I clarify.

Jagger shakes his head. “Dumbass is gonna break his neck trying to get away from a pillow. I can’t even.” He stalks three steps toward the kitchen before pausing mid-stride, and I groan internally as he spins around.

No. I shake my head subtly.

Oh yes. A mischievous smile creeps across his face.

I mean it, no. I purse my lips.

It’ll get a lot of views. Jagger waggles his eyebrows.

It’s the premise of a bad porno. I roll my eyes.

Which is why it’ll get a lot of views. He smirks.

God, help me. I look at the ceiling.

“What the fuck is this?” Bennet asks, his eyes darting between me and Jagger.

“Jagger wants to stage a pillow fighting championship for his social media.”

“You get that this is the dumbest sport in the history of sports, and that includes how someone reinvented tennis and called it pickleball.” Bennet arches a thick brow in Jagger’s direction.

“That’s why it’s so genius.” Jagger sits on the arm of the couch and plants his feet on my thighs since we’re still short a chair after Cruz and Liam broke it when they were fucking last week, and Bennet’s sitting in the remaining one. “It’ll be a spoof so obviously it’ll be over the top ridiculous, but we’ll wear the shorts I just got so it’s like an ad for my sponsors.”

“You should maybe check with your sponsors before wearing their shorts in a pillow fighting video. I’m not sure they’d want their brand tied to such weird shit,” I scoff.

“As if they’re gonna say no to a bunch of fit shirtless guys wearing their shorts for a pillow fight battle royale.” He snorts right back at me.

“Cruz has his own sponsors.” I point out.

“Ooh yeah, he’s got that underwear brand that signed him since he’s gay. I bet they’ll love this shit.” Jagger winks at Cruz.

“Sounds like the start of a bad porno,” Liam says.

I flick Jagger’s thigh hard enough that he yelps. “That’s what I told him.”

“What? When?” Liam asks.

“When he got…never mind.” It makes us sound weird when we admit we don’t have to speak to talk. “Liam’s right, it’s a bad porno. No one wants to see that shit”

“I never said I wouldn’t watch it.” Liam dodges a half-hearted shove from Cruz who takes mock offense to his boyfriend’s willingness to ogle other shirtless men. “But you’re right about getting the sponsors’ permission, just in case they don’t want their stuff marketed like that.”

“Marketed like what? It’s some roommates letting off steam and we’ll look steamy doing it,” Jagger says.

“Why would we be letting off steam?” I ask.

“Do we need a reason?” Jagger arches a brow.

“I don’t particularly need to beat the shit out of you guys, no.” Bennet kicks his feet up on the coffee table as he shrugs.

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