Rhythm Of Temptation

1. -Sips and Serendipity-

(Song Title: Glory Box)
Give me a reason to love you...
give me a reason to be a woman...
i just wanna be a woman...

As I entered the local bar near my home, the atmosphere welcomed me. I took a seat at the bar counter and ordered a drink. "Hey, lovely to see you again!" I smiled as my close friend Rowan greeted me. "You know what I want," I said, giving him a soft gaze. "Alright! One gin and tonic coming right up."

As I circled the rim of my glass with my finger, a group of guys walked in. I turned my gaze to them and noticed a curly-haired guy and a blonde one approaching the counter to order beside me. Wow, they look interesting. As usual, Rowan treated them like regular customers, taking their orders and delivering them to their table.

"Who are they?" I asked, feigning nonchalance. Rowan shot me a teasing glare as he moved to the other side of the counter. "You don't know them? They're Queen."
"Queen? What even is that?" I sipped my drink before continuing, "Is it a band?"
"Not just any band, but a pretty iconic one," he added, piquing my interest even more.

Some moments passed, and I could already feel the alcohol warming my body. I had ordered a couple more shots of drinks I hadn't even heard of before. As the bar grew quiet, the only sound was the background music playing through the speakers. Suddenly, I felt someone sit down on the bar stool beside me, leaving one stool gap between us.

I looked over, curious about who it was, and caught the blonde guy from earlier already staring at me. We held each other's gaze for a few seconds before he spoke. "Mind if I get you a drink?" he offered, his eyes trailing down my dress.
"I don't really mind, to be honest," I replied, not fully grasping the situation anymore as the alcohol began to take control of my body and mind.

I noticed Rowan smirking at me as the blonde guy ordered a drink. "Espresso martini, please. Oh, and double it," he said, moving to the stool beside me and closing the gap. "You have problems?" he asked, resting his arm on the counter.
"I don't," I replied tersely, glancing away from him.
"Name's Roger. Roger Taylor," he said, still looking at me.
"Aella," I replied, finally meeting his gaze.

As I sipped my martini, I could still feel his gaze on me, so I turned my whole body to face him. "So, I heard you're in a band—Queen, right?" I asked, and he chuckled. "Oh, yeah, Queen," he replied. I glanced over at the table where his friends had been sitting, noticing they were gone.
"They left a couple of hours ago," he said, catching my look.

"So, why are you here?" he asked, pulling a cigarette from his pocket.
"No reason, just in the mood for a drink, you know?" I replied, watching him light the cigarette. "And you?"
"Well, someone's been wearing my patience thin lately," he said, exhaling smoke in front of him.
"Yeah?" I prompted, as he placed the cigarette in the ashtray.
"My wife has been pissing me off lately—being all needy and not understanding my time. You know I'm struggling to manage my time since I'm in a band."

So he has a wife? We both fell into silence for a moment before I broke the awkwardness. "So, how is your wif—" He cut me off. "Let's not talk about her right now, alright? Let's have more drinks," he said, focusing his gaze on me. His blue eyes seemed to communicate something deeper, while his perfectly blonde hair slid over his shoulder. I couldn't help but notice the way his shirt buttons were undone, revealing a hint of his chest.

"Oh yeah, right, sorry." After a couple more drinks, my head grew dizzier and dizzier. I was laying my head on the counter when Rowan tapped me on the shoulder. "Aella, I think you should head home," he said, clearly worried about how much I'd drunk.
"I'll walk her out," Roger said, exchanging a meaningful glance with Rowan.
"Oh, you shouldn't have bothered, sir, but if you don't mind, I'd appreciate it since I'm still working. I'm her close friend, Rowan," he said, extending his hand for Roger to shake.
"Roger."
"Yeah, I know," Rowan replied.