Tag Archives: characters

Meet the Characters in Rocky Mountain Sunrise: Ben

Ben was singing Chanukah hymns with a light heart as he prepared latkes for their traditional Chanukah meal. As he grated the potatoes, he couldn’t keep from thinking about the pretty girl he had just met as he was leaving campus. With long, curly auburn hair past her shoulders and green eyes that flashed with irritation at her current car troubles, Ben had been captivated and more than happy to lend his assistance.

She had left an interior light on that had drained her car’s battery. Ben gave her car a jump and made sure he got her name before she left. Susie Minnet. Her name rolled around in his head as he pulled eggs out of the refrigerator and started breaking them into a bowl.

He remembered with satisfaction how she had lingered for a few minutes even after she had her car started, asking him about his jacket with the zoo logo on it. That jacket was far too lightweight for the sudden cold wind, but he would have stood out with her until he was frozen solid just to look into those eyes.

Meet the Characters in Rocky Mountain Sunrise: Eli

Eli hitched a brow as he slipped out of his black wool coat. “Were you expecting a tall man in a trench coat?”

Mari paused, knowing she was starting to sound like a crazy lady. “Kind of.” She gestured Eli on into the living room, and he headed for her love seat. Mari hesitated for a moment, remembering the time she and Eli had spent together on this very piece of furniture. She wasn’t sure they had been alone together in her house since they broke up. He looked perfectly relaxed, however, so she sat on the far end, which unfortunately didn’t put all that much space between them.

He tugged down on the placket of his emerald green shirt as he settled in and gave her a lop-sided smile. “Are you going to explain or just leave me guessing?”

Mari hooked a curl behind her ear. “Oh, it’s nothing. I’ve just been seeing this tall blond in a trench coat everywhere I go lately.” Her brows suddenly collided, her gaze slipping from his face. “But not in any of my classes today.” She looked back at him, confused. “He was in every one of my classes yesterday.”

Eli shifted and laid his arm along the back of the small sofa. “Maybe he was just visiting campus.” He grinned. “And following around one of the prettiest girls on campus.”

Mari blushed and tried not to feel uncomfortable with Eli’s remarks. Eli would always be a charmer. He couldn’t help himself.

Meet the Characters in Rocky Mountain Sunrise : Mari & Joe

She rolled onto her back. “Mari Rhodes,” she said with deliberation. She smiled, and her eyes sparkled. “I like it.”

Joe turned on his side, pulling his arm out from under her and propping up on an elbow. “Don’t tell me you haven’t tried it out before now.”

“Nope,” she answered without a pause, but her eyes were full of mischief.

“Is that right?” He ran a finger lightly up her side, and Mari shivered. “You know, I think I now have a pretty good mental map of all your ticklish spots.”

She squirmed as his fingertips pressed into the curve of her waist ever so slightly. “Joe, that’s not fair!”

He grinned. “All’s fair in love and war, sweetheart.”

She jumped and giggled as he dug his fingertips in a bit more. “That is actually a misquote.”

“Oh, really?” He started to walk his fingers up her rib cage.

She laughed and twisted away from him, but he caught her around the waist and hauled her against him. “You’d better set me straight. I wouldn’t want to go around misquoting somebody.”

“John Lyly,” she giggled, grabbing his hand. “Stop tickling me, and I’ll tell you the real quote.”

His hand stilled, and Mari took a breath. “The actual quote is, ‘The rules of fair play do not apply in love and war.'”

“Hmm, seems a bit wordy to me.”

“Well, wordy or not, that’s what Lyly wrote, and anyway, is tickling love or war?”

“Definitely love,” Joe growled behind her ear.

“Funny, it feels like war to me.”