[ Hey, he does the winking around here! Neil just downs that shot so that he has something to do as he processes what the man said. Sure, he could get really defensive right about now but... he trusts Lacus, and he trusts her to know her limits — or, rather, their limits.
He rises from his chair, fingers around the neck of the bottle of whiskey and his little shot glass awkward clutched in his palm. Neil steps up behind Dean and leans down to deliver a not-so-gentle pair of pats on the back. ] Just be careful, buddy. [ No malice, but it's not a genuine smile nor wink as he does so. He'll be watching.
But... for now. ]
Oi, Lyle! Don't make me finish off th' bottle all on my own, now. [ He yells across the room as he leaves the table to go hang out with his brother. The man does his best watching at a distance, after all. ]