The concrete deck ringing the rectangular pool offered white lounge chairs and a handful of tables with umbrellas that provided some shade, and the area was now teeming with SEALs and their wives and girlfriends. Oh, and two highly energized six-year-olds who were currently being tossed around like beach balls by Cash and Ryan, leaving Seth free to swim away and corner the children’s mother in the deep end.

“Cut Seth a break,” Dylan said with a grin. “He’s in love. Which is perfectly unweird and very natural. Even smartasses are allowed to be happy.”

Jackson sighed enviously. “Who wouldn’t be happy with a woman as fine-looking as that warming your bed?” His whiskey-colored eyes rested on Miranda, who was treading water with Seth at the edge of the pool, laughing at something he’d said.

Dylan followed Jackson’s gaze. He had to admit, Miranda did look mighty fine in that black string bikini. Shit, so did Annabelle, he realized, when his gaze shifted to the curvy brunette whose full br**sts were practically pouring out of a low-cut, red one-piece. He shifted his gaze and noted that Holly’s perky ass looked incredible in those boy-short bottoms. And Jen, in her skimpy yellow two-piece, made for a tantalizing sight too.

Son of a bitch. He was in need of sex in a dire way.

Jen caught him staring and raised one delicate blonde eyebrow. “Is there a reason why you’re checking out every woman in this pool?”

“Other than the fact that he’s a man?” Jackson answered for him.

“I don’t see you doing any ogling. Does that mean you’re not a man, Texas?” she asked sweetly.

“Oh, I’ve been ogling, sugar. I’m just not as obvious as Wade over here.” Jackson’s tone grew distracted, his gaze elsewhere. “Oh nice, there’s still some ribs left.” The big man got up and absently ambled off to the table where Holly had left all the food.

The second they were alone, Jen snapped into interrogation mode. “So?”

Dylan feigned innocence. “What?”

“Are you really going to play dumb?”

“Are you really going to make me talk about it here?” He shot a discreet look in the direction of the pool.

Jen waved her hand. “No one’s paying us any attention. So spill.”

“There’s nothing to spill.” He reached for the Bud Light he’d set on the deck and brought it to his lips.

“But isn’t he—” she lowered her voice, “—isn’t he supposed to come home this weekend?”

Frustration lodged in Dylan’s throat. “Nope. He has to stay in Washington for another month.”

“Aw, really? That sucks!”

No kidding. He’d been trying not to dwell on it ever since he’d read that disappointing email from Aidan last night. For the past month, he’d been distracting himself by training, hanging out with the boys, and hitting the clubs, but he hadn’t gotten laid since Aidan left town, and he hadn’t intended to. Now, with the grim knowledge that relief was still another month away, he might have to rectify his celibate status and give one of his regular hook-ups a call.

“But when he gets back, you’re going to…?” She grinned, letting the question hang.

“I don’t know. We’ll see what happens.”

“Don’t forget what I said about taking pictures.”

“Don’t forget what I said about ‘fuck off, Jen’.” He punctuated that by flashing his middle finger.

She threw her head back and laughed. “Fine. But I still expect details.”

Fortunately, his phone rang before he had to give her the finger again. But then he saw his brother’s number and stifled a sigh. If Chris was calling to announce that Claire was pregnant or some shit, Dylan was going to flip.

“My brother,” he told Jen as he rose from his chair. “I’ll be back.”

He walked to a quieter location on the manicured lawn away from the pool, the grass warm and soft beneath his bare feet. “Hey, man, what’s up?”

“Nothing much. Did I catch you at a bad time?”

“Not really. I’m just hanging out at my buddy’s pool. I’ve got a minute to talk, though.”

“Oh, good. I wanted to let you know that Claire and I will be in town at the beginning of September. It’s only for one night—I’ve got a meeting with one of the senior partners at our firm’s San Diego location.” Chris paused. “I was hoping we could stay with you.”

“Of course,” he said immediately, making an effort to hide his lack of enthusiasm.

Last time Chris and Claire had stayed at the house, the woman hadn’t uttered more than five words to him. He was so not in the mood to deal with Little Miss Ice Queen again, but what was the alternative? Force his only brother to stay in a hotel?

“Great,” Chris said, sounding excited. “We’re coming in on September first. We’ll take a cab from the airport, so don’t worry about picking us up.”

“Okay, but if you end up needing a ride, let me know.”

“Will do.”

After he hung up, Dylan stood there for a moment, his gaze taking in the flurry of activity happening across the lawn. In the pool, Sophie was shrieking with delight as Cash and Seth played a game of human catch with her, while Jason splashed around in the shallow end with Ryan and Annabelle. Carson had stolen Dylan’s lounge chair and was chatting with his sister, and over by the tables, Holly’s green eyes were animated as she spoke with Miranda and Matt, who were both laughing their asses off.