One date.
That was what April had agreed to, after the harassment from Arizona, and even eventually Meredith and Owen, about her utter lack of a love life. She was twenty-eight old and still a virgin, she hadn't been on a date in six months, and she could only go so long with trying to continue to blame it on the busy schedule of being chief resident.
Jackson Avery. That was his name. She wasn't sure how they'd come in contact with him, but apparently, he was a resident at Seattle Presbyterian. So she'd put on modest heels and silver earrings, and agreed to meet him at a local sushi restaurant.
April almost fainted when she first saw him. Tall, fit, incredibly handsome, striking blue eyes. He looked like he'd just walked out of some kind of model catalog.
Jackson's reaction wasn't quite as extreme. Curly red hair, a nice body, modestly dressed. She was hot, definitely. But he thought that the point of the night was more geared toward the after dinner portion.
The dinner was fairly smooth sailing. April stumbled over herself and rambled a few times despite her better judgment, but Jackson had a smooth laugh that had more of a soothing effect than what she'd anticipated from a first date. She couldn't remember the last time that a date had ever gone this well for her. She was so used to it ending with a few snide comments from the other part whenever she slipped out more information about herself or her thoughts than what she intended, but he didn't do that. He smiled.
He liked her more than he thought he would've. She was down to earth, which was refreshing considering what he had gotten used to with most of his dates. The rambles were cute – odd, but cute. But also refreshing. She would've been good company, a good friend. Maybe they still could've been, even afterward.
"It was – this was really nice, Jackson." April pauses, smiling up at him as they step outside the restaurant. "Thank you. It was nice to meet you."
"Of course. Do you need me to walk you to your car?"
"Oh, no. My apartment is just around the corner, actually."
"Well, why don't I walk you home?"
April pauses for a brief moment, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth as she considered the offer. Seattle wasn't superbly dangerous, and she lived in a safer part of the city while she lived alone, but there didn't seem any harm in the offer. He hadn't been pushy in any other regard, giving her just enough of a safety net that it wasn't the first place her mind went when he offered.
"Yeah, sure. Thank you."
The pair walked with comfortable chatter the short distance between the sushi place and her apartment, walking up to the third floor together, hands brushing together for a short moment before she stops outside of her door.
"Well… this is it."
"You're not going to invite me in?"
Jackson's expression is half amused with his own question. April's eyebrows shot up in surprise at the forwardness, but before she gets a chance to question or answer, the man leans in to close the distance between them, pressing his lips against hers.
The redhead freezes initially from the assault on her lips. But he's a good kisser. She realizes that. And this was what her friends wanted her to do, right? After the first reaction, April reciprocates his motion, lips moving against his. It's imperfect, a little messy, and the first kiss that she's had in a very, very long time. But she enjoys it more than she thought.
April can't keep up with how much time has passed, standing there making out in the middle of the hallway, but at some point, he moves them and her back is against the front door of her apartment. His hands are firm on her hips, and her chin is tilted up and his lips are marking up the pale skin of her neck. She doesn't try to stop it or slow him down, even though it's fast, faster than what she's used to. It felt good enough that she doesn't think about the speed initially. Not until one of the hands on her hip slides up, gently kneading one of her breasts. It sends straight to between her thighs, and that's when she realizes what he's expecting.
"We–– stop. Please."
Though Jackson's surprised, he's by no means an asshole. His hands come off her body and he steps back, but there's obvious confusion written across his face.
"What?"
"What?" April echoes back at him, pulling a face. "We– we had one date. And you're… you're a very good kisser, and all, but… it was one date. It doesn't have to be just one, I mean, that's not what I'm saying, I just mean that–"
"April." Jackson cuts her off, and he's got that look in her eyes that she's worried he might try and kiss her again. "I'm an escort. You know this is what I do, right"
"What?" April spits out the question a bit more aggressively than what she intended, hand going to the doorknob. "You're – what?"
"I'm an escort." Jackson repeats as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. Her confusion was more amusing than what he'd show in his face. He had made it pretty clear to her coworker, but now it was becoming rather evident that the truth hadn't been passed all the way along. Based on her reaction, he understood why. "We've all got to pay off those student loans somehow, right? It's no big deal, April. It's just something I do on the side. I figured your friend let you know that detail."
"No, she didn't… oh my god…" April lets out a shaky breath and shakes her head quickly, hands coming up to push the curls back out of my face. Thoughts screamed internally at Arizona a moment before focusing on the moment. "I don't want to sleep with you. I don't. Not at all." An awkward pause. "Not that you're not attractive, it's just that I'm not really, I'm not that kind of girl, I just – I'm a virgin." She finally blurts out.
There's a brief pause as if Jackson is trying to decide whether or not she's trying to pool the wool over his eyes. When he doesn't take the words back, a smile cracks at his lips and he laughs, shaking his head slightly.
"Goodnight, April Kepner." Jackson leans down, giving her a sweet, chaste kiss on the cheek. "I'll call you tomorrow." He promises before walking away, leaving her flushed and still pressed back against the apartment door.
