Beth grabbed for Santiago’s arms, for a second forgetting her injuries. She wasn’t sure what she feared most, whatever unknown plans Santiago had or the way her body reacted the moment his hands closed on her waist.
At this point, a heart attack was among the possibilities, with how hard her heart thudded in her chest as though threatening to beat right out of her body.
Thankfully, Santiago only kept her guessing for mere seconds. Then the marble countertop met the backs of her thighs, and the unexpected cold, hard surface forced an undignified sound out of her throat.
Beth’s first instinct was to jump down, but his hands pressed gently to the outside of her thighs, holding her in place. "Stay."
There was no mistaking the word for anything other than an order, and Beth felt her body
