IOU by Kristy Marie

Maverick's woman is a mystery to him, "...and a stuffed—is that a sea lion? What the eff is she doing with a stuffed sea lion?"  Maverick's got jokes, “I’m teasing. I’m using you as a shield in case Pops wants to smack me. He won’t with you in front of me.” Those big blue eyes go wide. “I’m joking,” I tell her. “He won’t smack me. He’ll wait until you’re distracted to whisper yell in my ear.” I liked this book, I loved Maverick.