Free All That Matters by Loralee Lillibridge

bitter and scalding churned in her stomach and rushed up the back of her throat. Oh, no. She tried to get out of the bed but her limbs tingled and refused to move.
    “Buddy Lee. Bathroom. Quick.”
    Afterwards, a little weak and totally humiliated, she sipped a glass of ginger ale and took small bites of the plain crackers brought by the concerned housekeeper who appeared after Buddy Lee’s frantic call to the concierge.
    The Mexican woman had known exactly what Faith needed as soon as she’d seen her in the bathroom, paying homage at the porcelain altar.
    “Poor mamacita ,” she’d crooned in broken English as she scurried about. In no time, she had helped Faith into a nightie , settled her quietly in bed with a pat on the cheek and given Buddy Lee a verbal list of instructions complete with arm-waving and head-shaking. He nodded like he’d understood.
    Faith watched him thank the woman for her kindness and press some bills into her hand. Hard-earned money from his Saturday customers, no doubt. His easy way of putting others' needs before his own had always been hard for her to understand.   Especially when most of the time he had less than the average person. It was common knowledge that before he was sent to prison, Boyd Walker had little concern for his son. Some even suspected there’d been physical abuse, but no one stepped forward to help. Out of necessity, Buddy Lee had learned to fend for himself at an early age.
    Her heart stumbled, remembering how he’d always been willing to help her out of her self-inflicted predicaments. And here he was after all those years, still solving her problems.   He is definitely a better person than I am.
    “ Feelin ’ better, hon ?” Buddy Lee closed the door and returned to her bedside.
    The sun had already added a healthy tan to his face, but Faith noticed creases of concern wrinkling his brow.
    “A little. I’m really sorry I spoiled our first day here.   I think I got too much sun.” She reached for the cloth the woman had left in a water basin on the nightstand.
    Buddy Lee took it from her and used it to gently bathe her forehead. “Being pregnant might have something to do with it, too.” His crooked grin delighted her.
    “Yeah, that too,” she admitted, turning her face to give him better access.
    As he lightly stroked the cool cloth along her cheekbones and across her temples, she gave herself over to the soothing sensation. Totally relaxed, she drifted in and out of a dream-like state, allowing air-brushed images that looked suspiciously like Buddy Lee to tease and tempt. Sexy images she wanted to hang on to which suddenly disappeared the minute blunt, slightly rough, and definitely male fingertips traced her lips.
    Did she dare open her eyes? What was he doing? It was one thing to be her caregiver for the moment, but this was more care than she’d expected. They were friends, not lovers.
    Curiosity won, and she peeked through half-opened eyelids.   Nausea was not what made her stomach lurch right then. Not what accelerated her heartbeat, either.
    Buddy Lee’s hand cupped her chin while he stroked her bottom lip with the pad of his thumb. Nothing short of a national emergency could have made her pull away. Frozen in place by the dark intensity of his gaze and the sheer sensual delight of his thumb rubbing her lip, Faith knew there was something going on here that definitely surpassed friendship.
    Oh, my! Had he always looked so intriguing? His lean, hard-muscled body did wonderful things to those leg-hugging, bun-defining jeans he’d changed into. Disturbingly dark eyes shot sparks of excitement she’d never noticed before. An aura of subtle temptation radiated around him, captivating her.
    She wanted to speak, but her words stopped just short of popping out of her mouth when he leaned over to press a feather-light kiss where his thumb had been.
    “I’ve ordered something from room service. Just some soup.”   His raspy voice skimmed over the