Impulse

Eric's eyes widen in a form of shocked and offended anger. Had Stacy just thrown him a direct insult about his truck driving? Seriously? After all this? After spending time together, getting to know each other and forming a mutual respect for each other? After her telling him she approved of him becoming a father figure to Ashlee? After all that, she decided to throw his lack of education in his face and make him feel worthless? Had he been that wrong about her?

No matter the reason for her sudden about-face, Eric would have hurt less had she outright slapped him. If she'd wanted to press his buttons, she'd done a good job. "Yeah, us truck drivers are pretty close to the scum of the earth." His tone was laced with icy sarcasm. "We ain't got no brains to do nothin' but run our eighteen-wheelers across the country." 

Leaving his broom near a stall, he sets his hands on his hips, taking a step towards Stacy. His wide eyes had narrowed by now, proving his irritation. His leg was killing him, he was confused and offended, and he didn't have time to stand here and take this from her. "I don't now why I didn't see it before now, but you're just like everybody else, aren't you? All you see is diplomas, money and status. All you see is the outside." He takes another step, now only inches from her. "Which is worse? The way I look or my career choice? My clothes or my lack of college education?" 

Another step forward, he forces Stacy to back up. He'd been a sour mood already, and she had just pushed him over the edge. "Well let me tell you something, Stacy Cullen. There's a whole lot more to this broken down cowboy than a driver's license and a blank wall where there's no diploma hanging."

One more step and he's backed her up to the wall. "I don't know which is worse. You being upset with me now, or you pretending all along that my lack of brains didn't matter." With each word, his anger rose a little more. He'd been put down too many times not to stand up for himself. He'd been called stupid too many times not to fight back. Stacy hadn't said it outright - but it had been implied, and that was just as bad, if not worse. How dare she, especially after all he'd shared with her about his struggles after his accident. This is where it stopped. 

"I may just be a dumb truck driver to you. But let me make one thing perfectly clear." 

Raising his forearm above Stacy's chest, he forces her against the wall, his blazing eyes piercing her own. "What you see on the outside ain't nothing compared to what I got on the inside. And maybe it's about time someone taught you that lesson." 

Acting on pure angry impulsiveness, Eric keeps Stacy pinned tightly while leaning his head down. Pressing his lips roughly to hers, he spends no energy on gentleness. Raw passion explodes as he sets about to prove his point - there was much more to him than just being a truck driver. And today, right now, he'd make Stacy see it, whether she wanted to or not. Forcing his kiss deeper, irritation and pent-up frustration drives him.

Until he realizes that all of a sudden, his kiss of anger is being returned. 

Generously.

Jerking his head back to break the kiss, his eyes lock with Stacy's. His heart was pounding wildly in his chest, and his gaze now held a strange mix of lingering anger and new confusion. Why had she kissed him back? Why did he suddenly feel bolts of electricity shooting down his spine? Why was his hurt and irritation now so confusing? 

Quickly releasing Stacy from the wall, he takes a step back and blinks. His mouth opens to say something, but he didn't even know what to say now. He'd proven his point. That was all there was. She'd have to decide for herself if he was still just a stupid cowboy or not. 

Spinning on his heel, he stalks out of the barn, favoring his sore leg. This whole thing was utterly ridiculous. Every bit of it. From the very beginning. Stupid. Muttering under his breath, he aims for the shelter of his bunkhouse.