Thanks to all those who reviewed, it means more than you know. This chapter begins the confrontation between Teresa and Fox. I divided up the chapters. Tell me what you think.

Chapter 5

Club Azure

"Teresa?" Fox rasped staring at the petite brunette with confusion.

This couldn't be his Teresa. What would she be doing at a place like this? He had to have confused her with someone else. But as he stared into her eyes he knew that it his first instinct had been right. That was Teresa, up on stage, her curvaceous body bared for all to see. His initial surprise replaced with a cold anger, Fox slammed the highball glass he held in his hand on the counter and leaped up onstage. Teresa let out a soft gasp of surprise when she felt him grab her arm and she stared at him from wide startled eyes.

"What the hell are you doing at a place like this and dressed like that?" he asked disdainfully, his gaze raking her near nude body with derision.

He couldn't believe that he had spent the last three years searching like a maniac for any trace of her whereabouts and she had been selling herself like a cheap whore at this tacky club. The woman he had fallen in love with would never have dreamed of demeaning herself in such a way and Fox felt as if he were staring at a complete stranger. What had happened to her?

Teresa stared at the man she loved with every fiber of her being and felt her heart break at the scorn she read in his gaze. She had never thought he could look at her with such derision and his disdain spurned her anger. That Fox of all people should look down at her for what she had done to survive when he was the one who'd cheated on her with her best friend enraged her. Forcing herself to remain calm when all she wanted to do was wipe the condescending smirk off his face, she tilted her lips in the semblance of a smile and gazed at him coquettishly.

"I'm sorry Sugar but we've never met. I'm sure I'd remember meeting a stud like you. You must be confusing me with someone else," she replied.

The baffled look on his face caused her smile to widen and trailing her fingers down his sculpted chest she continued the game.

"We haven't met have we? Or am I forgetting something I should be remembering?" she added watching his face tighten with annoyance at the insinuation that she could forget a night in his arms.

"We've spent many nights together, as well you know Sugar," he replied arrogantly his gaze lingering on her soft mouth for a few heated seconds and Teresa felt her pulse beat faster.

She could have cursed when she saw his complacent grin widen but she restrained herself with effort. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her ruffled.

"But that's neither here nor there. Teresa, why did you leave Harmony without a word to anyone? Your family was frantic with worry when they'd realized you'd gone and so was I," he added brusquely. The nights he had spent worrying over her made his tone harsher than he'd intended.

Teresa's eyes darkened with pain as she thought of her family and remembered the brutal rape she had suffered at the hands of a man she had trusted her entire life. Fox watched the emotions flicker across her face and wished that she would confide in him so he could fix whatever was broken.

"Sorry Sugar. I've never been to any place called Harmony. I was born and raised right here in 'Frisco," she lied without batting an eye. "You must be confusing me with someone else. Now, I had a lovely time chatting with you but I've got to run," she told him tracing his lower lip with her thumb and smiling with satisfaction when his breath became more erratic.

"Score one for me," she thought tossing her hair provocatively and then walking away before he could reply.

"Good luck finding your Teresa, Sugar," she added over her shoulder and was again surprised when Fox grabbed her forcibly by the arm and dragged her into a corner of the stage so the audience could no longer see them.

"Let go or I'll scream so loud security will come running," she threatened but Fox simply pulled her tightly against him and caught her mouth in a hot torrid kiss.

As soon as she felt his mouth pressed against hers, Teresa felt her body go limp with desire. It had been so long since she'd felt like this and suddenly she couldn't get enough of him. Desperate to feel his hard flesh under her hands, Teresa hurriedly undid the buttons of his shirt so she could caress his smoothly muscled chest. Fox's hands cupped her soft breasts and Teresa let out a moan when she felt him graze her tight nipples with his hand. Pressing her against the wall, Fox bend his head to catch one hard nipple in his mouth and Teresa responded by tangling her hands in his thick hair and holding his head against her breasts. Fox suckled her breasts gently, lovingly and Teresa nearly whimpered from the need he wrought in her. It wasn't until she felt his hand slip inside her panties and he began caressing her slick folds that she remembered where they were and made a sound of protest.

"Fox we can't, someone can walk past at any moment," she whispered and Fox raised heavy lidded eyes to her face.

It was at that moment that she realized that he was as far-gone as she and another moan escaped her before she could stop it.

"Then let's go someplace where no one can interrupt us," he murmured against her ear and Teresa felt herself weaken.

This was Fox, the only man she'd ever loved and she wanted him with a desperation that was almost humiliating. Just as she opened her mouth to answer, she saw Nick out of the corner of her eye and she knew that he had seen everything. A dull flush worked its way up her skin and for the first time in a long time she felt like the whore most men thought she was. Nick had been nothing but kind to her, he treated her like a queen and Cody like a princess and he didn't deserve to be betrayed like this. Cursing herself for a fool, she hastily slipped out of Fox's arms and ran as quickly as she could to her dressing room. She knew Nick would have Fox escorted off the premises and he would also be warned not to return. But she knew Fox wouldn't heed the warnings, he had come too far, searched too long to back off now. And if he kept digging eventually he would find out about Cody.

"I can't let that happen," she thought. "I won't let it happen. Cody is my child, I won't let Fox steal her from me," she whispered resolutely.

She was so lost in her thoughts she didn't even hear Nick walk in. The pain in his dark eyes was more than she could bear and without a word she walked over to him and pressed a soft, tender kiss on his hard mouth.

"I'm sorry," she whispered achingly.

Nick tightened his arms around her, breathed in the floral scent of her shampoo and cursed himself for a fool. He'd known without being told that the blond stranger had been Cody's father. The kiss they'd shared had been too intimate and the man had touched her boldly, possessively, as if he were assured of her acquiescence. But knowing all this and being able to let her go were two different things. If he were a better man he'd free her so she could be with the man who possessed her heart but Nick knew that he wasn't going to make things easy for her. He wasn't that noble or that selfless. Life without Teresa didn't bear thinking about.

"You must be tired so I'll leave you alone so you can shower and change. I'll have Pablo escort you home. Give Cody a kiss for me," Nick told her a few moments later and Teresa let out a sight of relief that he hadn't asked any questions.

When she was alone again she quickly removed the stage makeup and slipping into her street clothes, she grabbed her bag and rushed out of the club. Slipping into her car, she waited for Pablo to pull out behind her and then made her way home.

After paying the babysitter and checking in on Cody, Teresa walked into her room and without turning on the light, walked over to her bureau and pulled out a pair of pajamas. The ornate bureau was white and gold and had delicate angels stenciled on each drawer. The matching mirror was round and resembled a cherub. Glass bottles and pots of creams lined the bureau top along with a beautiful wind up music box. A matching dresser rested against one cream colored wall and a simple brass bed with two end tables nestled on each side completed the décor of the room. The floor was carpeted in a bright shade of peach and two tasteful Degas paintings with his customary pastels lined the walls. The bed was made up with floral print sheets in varying shades of peach, mint, and blue and the room was feminine without being fussy. Teresa loved every square inch of it.

When she had slipped the baby doll pajamas over her head, Teresa walked over to her vanity and picking up a brush began to comb her hair. It was then that she saw Fox sitting on a tall wing backed chair in the corner of the room and the brush dropped from her nerveless fingers. Fox walked over to where she sat and picking up the brush from the floor began combing her dark tresses. When he was done he gently laid the brush on her dresser and spun her around to face him.

"Why Teresa? Why did you run from me?" he asked hoarsely. "Why did you leave Harmony without a word to anyone? Why did you leave me?" he rasped.