Golden Roses by Patricia Hagan Page A

of here. Go back to your party.”
    She flamed with indignation. “Don’t issue me orders. I want to thank that man, and—”
    “Mendosa, if you don’t get out of there, I’m going to shoot him,” he warned, ignoring her completely.
    “Ahhh, you would not want to kill such a magnificent beast,” Mendosa said as he turned, raising his coat high above his head. The bull spun just beneath his arms. “This is Señor Valdis’s prize seed bull. He would not take kindly to your destroying him.”
    “Then get out of there.”
    Amber gasped as the man pulled a gun from beneath his coat and pointed it at the bull. “Are you really going to kill him?” she cried.
    “If Mendosa doesn’t get out of there right now, I’m going to put a bullet through the bull’s brain. Then you can explain to Valdis that your stupidity caused all this.”
    “If you would only let me explain,” she pleaded.
    “I am coming,” Mendosa called. “Do not shoot him.”
    She watched as Mendosa lured the bull into making a pass close to the gate. As the beast rushed by, Mendosa leaped, landing beside Amber, a wide grin displaying shining, even white teeth. “Señorita Forrest, I believe,” he said, bowing. “I have been looking forward to meeting you. Like everyone else in the valley, I have heard of your loveliness. But now I see that all I have heard was wrong. You are not merely lovely. You are most beautiful. Allow me to present myself—Armand Mendosa.”
    “I’ve heard of you!” she cried. “You really are a matador.”
    “ Sí . I do not usually fight the bulls in their pastures, only when a lovely lady is in danger.” He flashed his smile once more, then turned to the man beside him. “This is my foreman, Señor Cord Hayden.”
    Cord Hayden still regarded Amber coolly, but some of the anger left him. He murmured, “Sorry if I was rough on you, but you could have been killed. That bull gored a matador in the ring last year. He should have been put to death, as is the custom, but Valdis wanted to use him for breeding.”
    “I’m truly sorry,” Amber said desperately, “but I didn’t know there was a bull here.”
    “Just don’t go wandering around anymore,” said Hayden.
    Her eyes suddenly locked with his, looking up, for he was at least a head taller than she. He was, she realized, quite handsome…though there was the touch of the wolf about him. His eyes were dark brown and framed by long, thick lashes. His lips were full, sensuous, accentuated by a thin black mustache. Black hair curled around his face, giving him almost a little-boy look—but she understood intuitively that the appearance was misleading. This was all man, a real man, and one to be reckoned with.
    But there was something else about him…something quite disturbing. It was as though she had met him before. But she told herself that she could not have.
    Armand touched her arm, bringing her out of her reverie. “If you will allow me,” he murmured softly, “I will see that you return to the house safely.”
    She wanted to tell him that the house was the last place she wanted to be, but she kept quiet as Armand turned to his foreman and said, “I will see you back at the ranch later, all right?”
    Cord Hayden nodded, tipping his hat to Amber. He turned away, but not before she saw that strange look in his eyes, as though he was having the same thoughts she was. They had met somewhere, sometime before. But no—that wasn’t possible.
    “Tell me. Why were you out here wandering the ranch alone?” Armand said as they made their way toward the distant lights and the sound of music. “I am surprised that Valdis would allow you to go off like this by yourself.”
    She saw no reason to lie, and blurted, “I was trying to get away from Valdis. I despise him.”
    To her amazement, he threw back his head and laughed. “You do not hesitate to speak what is on your mind, do you? That is good. I do not like coy women or feminine games. And I do not