CHAPTER FOURTEEN

So, maybe Coleman's bar wasn't my first choice for a party, but I had to admit, I was having one great time. I mean, what woman wouldn't? Here I was, the center of attention for three very different, but each in their own way - pretty attractive -men. Good company, free drinks... hey, good times.

"Rack 'em, Coleman. Let us peasant show these nobles how to play the game." Luke said. He glanced over at me and threw a tiny wink at the same time. He and Coleman had ended up as one team, since I had perversely selected Lorenzo as my partner.

What the heck, if I were going to act up tonight, I might as well not do it half-way.

So, looking around with an odd sense of satisfaction, I noted that the gang was all here – except for Sonny. So much for Luke's great idea. The expected "guest" of honor was nowhere in sight.

And? Well, I was determined not to lose any sleep over it; after a remark from Lorenzo about his teaching me, I couldn't help but allow him to persuade me to team up with him against Luke and Coleman. And one thing about playing with the proprietor – the drinks were flowing like a river rushing downhill. . After several shots of premium vodka - Coleman had gone behind the bar and bumped the grade up for all of us – things were, shall I say, definitely looking amusing – and promised the possibility of getting interesting.

Except for one thing. Sonny was nowhere in sight.

In spite of all the fun I was having, my eyes kept straying back to the front door. Plenty of people passed through the doors, but not that certain Latino I was looking for. I sighed inwardly. Looked like I was going to have to make do with what I had.

Like that was going to be a hardship.

My eyes traveled over Lorenzo's lean and muscular form as he bent over the table to take his shot. He'd taken off his coat and jacket, lost the tie and that left him in just his shirt and slacks. Both had been immaculately tailored, of that I had no doubt. They fit him…perfectly. He'd rolled up the sleeves so that his lean muscular forearms were bare, and had unbuttoned the collar and actually looked like he were enjoying himself. It was the most relaxed I had ever seen him, I realized.

It was Lorenzo's turn; he knocked back his shot of aguardiente and moved to the other side of the pool table to study the layout. My eyes followed him, subtly of course. It wouldn't do for Lorenzo to notice that I was actively checking him out.

Even if I was doing exactly that. After all, what was the harm in just looking?

The harm, it turned out, was doing where Luke could see.

"Careful, Natasha." Luke moved to stand slightly behind me, pretending to study the table's layout. "Let's keep our eye on the prize, shall we?"

"I don't know what you mean, Luke." I kept my eyes stubbornly forward.

He only chuckled softly. "One Latino at a time, m'dear. Of course, it's only a suggestion. If you're feeling frisky thataway, then hey, go for it."

I laughed at him, but inside, I was somewhat mortified at the fact that Luke had been able to read me so easily. It wasn't that I was as interested in Lorenzo as I was in Sonny, but still…I tried to turn it into a joke. "Next you'll be suggesting I take up Coleman on one of his offers."

Between him and Luke making ridiculously exaggerated compliments to me, I could barely keep a straight face. At the very least, Luke should have known better. But he was living down to my expectations. He flirted with me outrageously, kept the drinks coming, and before I knew it, I was well on my way to becoming tipsy. Way past tipsy, in fact. And it felt good. Even if I felt like a fly under a magnifying glass what with the way Luke was looking at me. I may be a bit tipsy, but nowhere drunk enough to think that Luke wasn't in full control of his faculties. "Uncle" Luke was having his own version of a good time.

As Lorenzo took his turn at a second shot, I leaned back to whisper at Luke, "You wouldn't be trying to get me drunk so that you could take advantage of me, would you?"

"Would it work?" Luke answered. He laughed at his own joke. "No, Natasha; as delectable as the thought might be, I figured you needed a night to rest your nerves. If I may make an observation..."

I nodded for him to continue.

"You've been looking a little tense of late. I figured that what you needed was a plain old girls night out."

I lifted an eyebrow. "A girls' night out. I seem to be the only girl, Luke."

"Well, it's Spencer style - you wouldn't expect just any old run-of-the-mill girls' night out from the likes of me, now would you?" Luke leaned in close. "Face it, Alexis - tell me you're not enjoying this. Every woman needs to be spoiled and indulged a little. And somehow, I don't think you're getting that on the home front."

Not that I answered him, but to tell the truth, I couldn't argue with him either. There hadn't been much indulging for me at home. And darn it, being here did feel good.

It must have shown, because Luke looked at me closely for a moment and then laughed out loud. "Just what the doctor ordered – right? Come on; tell Uncle Luke he was right."

"I'll do no such thing." Her voice tried for indignant and failed miserably. A grin twitched at her lips.

"Tell me that you are not totally enjoying being the envy woman in the place, with three handsome, debonair ..."

"…egotistical…" She suggested.

Luke ignored her. "….suave, delectable, free-spirited…"

"Full of spirits, don't you mean? At least eighty proof."

"No more than you, darling Natasha." In a challenge, he reached for the bottle of vintage genuine Russian vodka that Coleman had miraculously caused to appear and poured two straight shots. He handed one to me and lifted the other in an unspoken dare. "Prosit!" Luke downed the shot in one swallow and slammed the shot down on the pool table's edge.

Before he could make another one of his comments, I downed mines as well. It hardly even burned going down anymore. Well, after the fourth one, it had stopped and by now, who was counting? I slammed my glass down next to his. "Prosit!.Which is German, by the way, not Russian."

"And is this a matter of great concern?"

I turned my head. Lovely; Lorenzo had decided to come and play.

"My good man Alcazar, didn't you know that our lovely Alexis is descended from Russian royalty?"

"Greco-Russian." If he was going to tell the story, then he might as well tell it right.

Lorenzo regarded me with a slow smile. "Yes, I do remember hearing something about that. Sounds like a delightful blend."

I turned to face him. "And just when did you hear that? When one of your minions handed you a folio on my life?"

Before he could explain – that is, if he were in a mood to explain, Luke jumped into the conversation, obviously of a mind to keep the mood light. "What was wrong with my toast? - sounded good to me…." Wickedly determined, Luke poured another round, this time, filling Lorenzo's glass as well. "Prosit."

"Luke, at least get it right!" Natasha snatched up her shot glass and raised it high. "Vashe Zdorovie!" To Your Health! And just as my beloved Stefan had taught me, she tossed the fiery drink back in one smooth motion. "Khorosho poshla!"

"That means – "It went down well." I informed them with an air of mock arrogance..

"It should." Coleman offered. "It's two hundred year old vodka."

"What were you saving it for?" Lorenzo asked.

"A special occasion." Coleman said, grinning at Alexis. "I think this definitely qualifies."

Alexis grinned back at him, then turned back to Luke and Lorenzo. "But if we were doing this in true tradition, we would smash the glasses in a fireplace. Which, unfortunately," She said with a pout, deliberately designed to get their attention. "… We don't have."

"I have one." Lorenzo said with a small but knowing smile.

"I know where to – acquire one." Luke said. Despite all of his schemes and machinations, it just wasn't in him to let any man show him up. That was the Luke I knew and loved. Or something.

Natasha couldn't help herself; she started laughing softly and then she couldn't help herself, laughing louder in delight. Luke was…Luke. Unabashedly, unapologetically, he was who he was. And he wouldn't have it any other way. And neither would she.

Darn it, why couldn't Alexis and I find it to be as easy to do the same - to simply be who we were?

She had definitely picked the right kind of ally. Keep your eye on the prize, indeed. She laughed harder at that thought, until tears threatened to come to her eyes. Alexis laughed so hard until she had to lean against the nearest male for support. That it happened to be Lorenzo didn't matter.

At least it didn't matter until Sonny walked into the bar.