Shameful | Congressman!Kylo x Reader

Chapter 17: Let's See it

somethin' slight to tide y'all over :) i'm under the weather so my brain is a bit empty atm

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I get ready for the day at a leisurely pace — listening to French jazz, checking emails, slowly sipping a strong cup of coffee on my patio with a cigarette. I feel content. Worlds better than yesterday.

Today, the vast majority of the team is out doing a coordinated block walk with Maz's senate campaign, so it's a designated chill day at the office. I plan to dress accordingly. I swing through the doorway to my closet and rifle through the hangers. I grab a cream-colored Reformation quarter-zip pullover, and one of my gifted Alo tennis skirts in powder blue.

A new tennis skirt to go with my new tennis bracelet. Perfect.

Once I'm dressed and looking like a country club princess, I skulk slowly toward the untouched Harry Winston box that's still sitting primly on my kitchen counter, and flip it open. It shimmers in the soft, natural light streaming through my window. It's taunting me, tucked neatly into its box, spread across its little silk cushion. Wear me.

I delicately slip it out of the box, and fasten it on my wrist. I inch up the sleeves of my top and admire it for a couple minutes, feeling warm and taken care of.

It's just a fucking bracelet, I tell myself as I grab my Goyard tote and walk out of my unit.

—

There's a spring in my step as I enter the office, met with the smell of freshly-brewed espresso and Vicrul's dazzling smile.

"Okaaaay, Boss Lady! Looks like we both got the sporty memo!"

"Damn. Wait, stand together for a sec — this'll be good for our Twitter," Ushar says, grabbing his phone out of his pocket to snap a photo of the two of us.

Cardo, our data director, walks by us holding his laptop and an iced coffee. "Wait, do another. I look sporty."

The three of us pose for another photo, bursting into giggles and spitballing silly captions.

I hear the elevator door slide open, and immediately identify Rey's voice. I spin around to face her.

"Bitch!!!" I watch her realize how loud she's just hollered, and her voice drops down into a stage whisper. "Biiiiiitch..."

I gingerly deposit my coffee cup down on Vicrul's desk, and jog toward her. She envelops me in a tight hug, nearly swinging me around.

"I missed you so fucking much! Look at your little skirt!"

"I missed you too...bitch." I give her a final squeeze before we ease apart, grasping each other by the shoulders.

"Wait... keep hugging each other. Don't stop." Vicrul urges jokingly from behind us, eliciting a scoff from Rey.

We all catch up around the espresso machine before the elevator door slides open once more.

Ren dashes in, naturally causing us to disperse. He's still wildly intimidating, regardless of what memories I hold in my box with a clear lid.

"Don't stop on my account," he mutters, moving past us to fix himself a coffee.

Awkward silence buzzes through the air — save for the clink of coffee cups and whir of the air conditioner — before Rey speaks up.

"Ren, I put two AFL-CIO meetings on your calendar for tomorrow, and a Sierra Club visit the next day."

"Great."