by Lisa Plumley
“I had no idea people thought I was so modest,” Danielle had said to Jason. “Secretly, I’m the world’s biggest egomaniac.”
“Everyone is,” he’d replied with a grin. “On the inside.”
In the end, all the chaos had died down pretty quickly. Now that it was over, Danielle found she didn’t think about it too much. She’d forgiven Jason for his accidental part in it—but not for his deliberate withholding of that gift he’d hinted about.
“So it’s your turn now, right, Danielle?” Wearing a purposely innocent look, Jason peered at the pile of gifts under the Christmas tree. “I think there’s a big one over there.”
“I want the one on your lap,” she specified. “Gimme.”
“Mom!” her children chorused in unison. “That’s rude!”
Darn it. Why had she taught them manners in the first place? Sighing as she glanced at Jason’s rugged, handsome, amused face, Danielle tried again with a more conciliatory tone.
“Gimme please.” She wiggled her fingers. “Okay?” Jason lifted his gift to her. And his eyebrows. “Oh. You mean this gift? This one right here? But that one is bigger.”
“Jason!”
His answering grin made her melt. “All right,” he acquiesced. “But this one has to be delivered in a special way.”
“By Santa! By Santa!” Aiden guessed at a shriek.
“Not by Santa. By me.” Wordlessly, Jason slid off the sofa. He knelt in front of Danielle. He took a deep breath. Then, with the Christmas lights dancing off his face and the carols playing in the background, he took her hand. He opened her palm. He placed his gift in her grasp, then nodded. “If you take this,” he said, “I’ll be the happiest man you’ve ever met.”
At his motion, all the puppies awakened. They started scampering around his feet and legs, alerted to the presence of one of their favorite playmates. Danielle loved that everyone loved Jason so much—kids, puppies . . . and her included, of course.
Reverently, with a proper sense of the importance of this moment, Danielle undid the gift’s bow. She took off the paper.
She glimpsed Jason’s agonized expression and stopped in the midst of unwrapping her gift. “Is something wrong?”
He gave a frustrated growl. “Are you unwrapping that so slowly on purpose?”
Danielle laughed. “You’re the one who wanted to savor Christmas, one gift at a time. Remember?”
“Just keep going.” He gestured. “Open the box!”
Smiling—and moving excruciatingly slowly—Danielle did.
The diamond engagement ring inside took away her breath.
Heart pounding, she transferred her gaze from its brilliance to the face of the man she loved. Slowly, she nodded.
“I will,” Danielle said. “Now, forever, and always.”
Jason smiled at her. “I was right,” he said. “This is worth savoring.” He broadened his smile. “Maybe you can do it again?”
“Mooommy!” Aiden wiggled amid the puppies. “Come on!”
“Maybe later,” Danielle promised Jason with a kiss. “I’ll stage a full reenactment for you, as many times as you want me to.” She looked at him, then at her children, her heart full. “Right now, we have a real Kismet Christmas to get on with.”
“Yeah, about that . . .” Jason tipped his head to the side, plainly reconsidering his stance. “I might have been wrong about the whole take-it-slowly method. Kids, what do you think?”
Zach, Karlie, and Aiden looked at each other.
“Free-for-all!” they yelled jubilantly. “Woo-hoo!”
Happily, Danielle gave her permission. The mêlée that happened next wasn’t dignified or painstaking . . . but it was loving.
So was the unabashed look that Jason gave Danielle as he got up from his kneeling position. He pulled her into his arms.
He kissed her. “Next year, we’re inviting the puppy butler. My feet are all slobbered on. My toes have doggie breath.”
“I love you anyway,” Danielle told him with a grin.
Then she kissed him back with all her heart, put on her ring, and got busy showing Jason exactly how much she loved him—on Christmas, on New Year’s Day, and on every day of the year.
All while reveling in how very much he loved her back.
It could not, at any time of year, have gotten any better than that.
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading All He Wants for Christmas!
Christmas is one of my very favorite holidays, and I suspect it’s one of yours, too! I’m so happy that you decided to spend some time with me in Kismet this year. My little town is getting pretty crowded these days, but I just couldn’t wait to share Karlie, Aiden, Zach, Gigi, Henry, and Mr. Moosby with you—along with Jason and Danielle, of course! I hope you had just as much fun reading about their holiday romance as I did writing about it.
If you did (and you’re curious about my other books, including the rest of the Kismet Christmas series!), please visit my website at www.lisaplumley.com. While you’re there, you can check out first-chapter excerpts from all my contemporary, historical, and paranormal romances, sign up for my free new-book reminder service, catch sneak previews of my upcoming books, request special reader freebies, and more.
By the time you read this, I’ll be hard at work on my next contemporary romance. I hope you’ll be on the lookout for it. In the meantime, I love connecting with readers, so I’d be thrilled if you would follow me @LisaPlumley on Twitter, like my page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lisaplumleybooks, or circle me on Google Plus at www.google.com/+LisaPlumley. See you there!
Best wishes,
Lisa Plumley
P.S. Turn the page for some delicious Kismet whoopie pie recipes!
Jason can’t stop eating whoopie pies from the bakery next door to Moosby’s toy store in Kismet! His favorite is these gingerbread spice whoopie pies with creamy filling.
This easy recipe makes nine big whoopie pies, so you’ll have plenty to share.
Gingerbread Spice Whoopie Pies
with vanilla cream cheese filling
COOKIES
3¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¾ cup softened butter
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
¾ cup molasses
¾ cup buttermilk
Get ready: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease 3 baking sheets or line with parchment paper; set aside.
Prepare dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices; set aside.
Prepare wet ingredients: In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg; beat until incorporated.
Mix: Add half the dry ingredients to large bowl; mix just until combined. Add molasses and buttermilk; mix to combine. Scrape bowl if necessary, then add remaining dry ingredients. Mix just until batter is smooth.
Shape and bake: Use an ice-cream scoop, spoon, or -cup measuring cup to scoop batter onto prepared baking sheet, making 6 evenly spaced rounds per sheet (for a total of 18). Bake for 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cookie comes out clean. Remove baking sheet from the oven and place on a rack to cool completely before removing cookies from the baking sheet.
FILLING
8 ounces softened cream cheese or Neufchâtel cheese
3½ cups confectioner’s sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 to 2 Tablespoons milk (as needed)
Make filling: Place the cream cheese or Neufchâtel cheese and confectioner’s sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Mix at low speed until the mixture begins to come together. Scrape the bowl, then add vanilla. Mix again. Add milk, if necessary, then beat until fillin
g is creamy and smooth.
Assemble: When cookies are completely cool, it’s time to turn them into whoopie pies! Spread a generous spoonful of filling onto the bottom of one cookie. Top with another cookie, then press together gently to make a whoopie pie. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Enjoy!
After a Christmastime trip to the Kismet ice-skating rink, Karlie’s favorite treat is a pumpkin chocolate chip whoopie pie. Even non-townies can enjoy these!
This easy recipe makes 8 soft, traditional size whoopie pies.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Whoopie Pies
with creamy vanilla filling
COOKIES
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin (not pie filling)
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 (12-ounce) package mini chocolate chips
Get ready: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets or line with parchment paper; set aside.
Prepare dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice; set aside.
Prepare wet ingredients: In a large bowl, stir together pumpkin, brown sugar, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
Mix: Add the dry ingredients to large bowl; mix just until combined. Scrape bowl if necessary, then add mini chocolate chips; mix until batter is smooth.
Shape and bake: Use a small ice-cream scoop, spoon, or ¼-cup measuring cup to scoop batter onto prepared baking sheet, making 8 evenly spaced rounds per sheet (for a total of 16). Bake for 12 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cookie comes out clean. Remove baking sheet from the oven and place on a rack to cool completely before removing cookies from the baking sheet.
FILLING
6 ounces softened cream cheese or Neufchâtel cheese
6 Tablespoons (¾ stick) softened butter
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 to 2 Tablespoons milk (as needed)
Make filling: Place the cream cheese or Neufchâtel cheese, softened butter, and confectioner’s sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Mix at low speed until the mixture begins to come together. Scrape the bowl, then add vanilla. Mix again. Add milk, if necessary, then beat until filling is creamy and smooth.
Assemble: When cookies are completely cool, it’s time to turn them into whoopie pies! Spread a generous spoonful of filling onto the bottom of one cookie. Top with another cookie, then press together gently to make a whoopie pie. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Enjoy!
Zach and Aiden love these flavorful cranberry pecan whoopie pies. The secret ingredient is fresh orange zest in the filling, which makes for a zingy, energizing treat!
This easy recipe makes 9 whoopie pies . . . but don’t eat them all at once!
Cranberry Pecan Whoopie Pies
with creamy orange filling
COOKIES
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
cup milk
½ cup chopped dried cranberries
½ cup finely chopped toasted pecans
Get ready: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease 3 baking sheets or line with parchment paper; set aside.
Prepare dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder; set aside.
Prepare wet ingredients: In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl after each egg. Add the vanilla; mix thoroughly.
Mix: Add the flour mixture and milk alternately, beginning with about 1 cup of the flour and cup of the milk. Beat well after each addition. The final batter should be fairly thick and fluffy. Lightly mix in dried cranberries and toasted pecans, stirring just until combined.
Shape and bake: Use an ice-cream scoop, spoon, or -cup measuring cup to scoop batter onto prepared baking sheet, making 6 evenly spaced rounds per sheet (for a total of 18). Bake for 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cookie comes out clean. Remove baking sheet from the oven and place on a rack to cool completely before removing cookies from the baking sheet.
FILLING
6 ounces softened cream cheese or Neufchâtel cheese
¼ cup softened butter
2½ cups confectioner’s sugar
freshly grated zest of one orange
1 to 2 Tablespoons orange juice (as needed)
Make filling: Place the cream cheese or Neufchâtel cheese, softened butter, and confectioner’s sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Mix at low speed until the mixture begins to come together. Scrape the bowl, then add orange zest. Mix again. Add orange juice, if necessary, then beat until filling is creamy and smooth.
Assemble: When cookies are completely cool, it’s time to turn them into whoopie pies! Spread a generous spoonful of filling onto the bottom of one cookie. Top with another cookie, then press together gently to make a whoopie pie. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Enjoy!
Although Danielle’s favorite holiday treat is a delicious Peppermint Chocolate Mousse Pie-in-a-Jar with Candy Cane Sprinkles from Kristen Miller’s Galaxy Diner in Kismet, she still has a soft spot for these similarly flavored chocolate-peppermint whoopie pies.
This easy recipe makes 8 classic-size whoopie pies.
Classic Chocolate Whoopie Pies
with marshallow peppermint crunch filling
COOKIES
2 cups all-purpose flour
1¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
cup cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process)
½ cup softened butter
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
Get ready: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets or line with parchment paper; set aside.
Prepare dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder; set aside.
Prepare wet ingredients: In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer until mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg; beat until incorporated. Add the vanilla; mix thoroughly.
Mix: Carefully add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, beginning with about 1 cup of the flour and cup of the buttermilk. Beat well after each addition.
Shape and bake: Use an ice-cream scoop, spoon, or ¼-cup measuring cup to scoop batter onto prepared baking sheet, making 8 evenly spaced rounds per sheet (for a total of 16). Bake for 12 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cookie comes out clean. Remove baking sheet from the oven and place on a rack to cool completely before removing cookies from the baking sheet.
FILLING
½ cup softened butter
1¼ cups confectioner’s sugar
2 cups marshmallow cream (such as Marshmallow Fluff)
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract (optional)
4 candy canes, crushed (see note, below)
Make filling: Place the softened butter and confectioner’s sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Mix at low speed until the mixture begins to come together. Scrape the bowl, then add marshmallow cream, vanilla, and peppermint extract (if using). Mix again. Add crushed candy canes, then beat until filling is creamy and smooth.
Assemble: When cookies are completely cool, it’s time to turn them into whoopie pies! Spread a generous spoonful of fillin
g onto the bottom of one cookie. Top with another cookie, then press together gently to make a whoopie pie. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Enjoy!
Note: To crush candy canes, place in a large zipper-top bag, then use a rolling pin or bottom of heavy saucepan to crush candy canes into irregular pieces.
ZEBRA BOOKS are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018
Copyright © 2014 by Lisa Plumley
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.