Hi guys! Sorry for the late update! Real life just takes over sometimes.

I hope I can make it up to you with this longer, very japrily chapter :)

Please, let me know what you think about it!

This one is for C in particular. Happy friendiversary sweetie!

Having dinner all by herself for the first time in a while, in her brand new apartment, was really nice. April didn't want to admit it but she'd been pretty happy when Matthew told her he had a family dinner settled that night and that he had to work very early in the morning the next day. The idea of spending the first night in her apartment with Matthew scared her at the moment. She'd decided that she had to be honest with him, talk to him, ask him some time apart in order to understand if she really wanted to start something serious with him or not. This needed talk with Matthew could wait one more day, though. Tonight she wanted nothing more than feel totally carefree and cheerful, just for one time.

April ordered take away sushi, her favorite food. She ate her dinner while watching some random episodes of her favorite tv show and she'd already drunk half bottle of red wine when she heard the distinct sound of a Skype call. She quickly looked herself in the mirror of the hallway, she was wearing her yoga shorts and her big, Stanford t-shirt. She wanted to wear something nicer and maybe putting on some make up before skyping with Jackson but she totally lost the sense of time. She just freed her hair then and went sitting on her couch, in front of the computer, answering Jackson's call.

"Hey Jackman!" she cheerfully waived her hand, immediately noticing Jackson's outfit. He was wearing a white, pretty elegant shirt, "Ha ha… perfect! You could tell me this was a formal skype night! You're all chic and I'm a mess…and I'm supposed to be the girl, here, you know?"

Jackson laughed, noticing April's embarrassment and finding it really cute "I just came home from this boring press conference, and hadn't had the time to change! Actually, can you excuse me a moment?", he disappeared from the screen before April could even answer and she heard him yelling "You're very cute all college-like by the way!" He came back five minutes later wearing his Harvard's basketball uniform.

April laughed "Harvard? Really? Don't tell me you want to start the college-competition now".

Jackson giggled "Hey, you provoked me… I lost one of the most important games in my life against your basketball team…I'm still bitter about it!"

"Ha ha, well…I'm not surprised, our basketball guys were pretty amazing."

"They were, huh?! Let me guess… you dated one of them, am I right? I know that look on your face".

April giggled "what look? I don't know what you're talking about… "

"Yes, sure! You little naïve girl! Come on…tell me, what's his name? I told you everything about Mara and I still know nothing about your past love life," Jackson said, smirking.

"Can we postpone this conversation for a moment? I'd like to give you the tour of my apartment before I'll be completely drunk.. For your information, I had lots of wine already and I'm seeing you too sober man! This is a long-distance-party…where's your glass?!"

Jackson laughed "Let me see your house and we'll drink a toast after, promised. I have two bottles of beer waiting for me in the fridge."

"No way! Beer is not enough for a great alcoholic night. Come on!"

Jackson laughed, seeing April standing up from the coach and taking her pc to show him her place. She was really cute, and sexy, she was driving him crazy already and their night had just began.

"I'll go with whiskey then I guess."

"Perfect! You got It finally." She smiled, "ok so… It's just a three rooms apartment, we're basically finished the tour already," she laughed while moving her computer around to show him the room, "this is the small kitchen…and you already saw the couch…which is basically all the living room I have and…" she said, while walking across the hallway, "this is my room…what do you think? Does it look like the room of a grownup woman?"

Jackson giggled "I see no posters of Justin Timberlake so.…well, there are still those super girly pillows on the bed…and I can clearly see Tommy on the bedside table," he laughed, indicating the old teddy bear he knew very well, April's favorite toy when they were children, "but yo're definitely making progress…I'd say you're almost there." He loved to tease her just to see her reaction.

"Ha ha, very funny… I'll pretend not to remember you had a doll when you were five just because I'm looking forward to our drink toast and I want my wine as soon as possible!"

"Never had a doll…you're drunk already!" Jackson laughed, "And hey…what are you hiding behind that door? There's still a room to see.."

"It's just the bathroom…nothing you need to see."

"Why? Do you have a Justin Timberlake poster on the wall in there?"

April bursted out laughing while putting the pc back on the coffee table and sitting back on the couch.

"I totally guessed, didn't I?" Jackson said, laughing and admiring her smile. He loved making her laugh. He couldn't help it, he found her giggle adorable and she was really doing nothing to help his crush remaining silent tonight.

"No you didn't… I just left my underwear all over the floor and I don't want you to see it" she smiled, without really thinking at her words.

"Why? What if I wanna see it, huh?"

April blushed. If she didn't know him so well she would think he was flirting with her.

"Oh hush, stop it… and take your whiskey..time for drink!"

"What do you think about a drinking game? It's not a party without a drinking game!"

April smiled excitedly "Yes! You're right! Let's do it! Ok, it works like this: you ask me something you never asked me, I have to drink a glass of wine and answer you sincerely. Then it will be your turn."

"Ehm.. usually you drink OR you answer…"

"We change the rules…don't be boring! I wanna drink and I want you to answer everything I ask you!"

"Well…you have to answer everything I ask you too, though…you know that?"

"I have my ways to avoid questions I don't like…don't worry" she smiled, taking her glass and filling it with red wine, "come on, you go first. Ask" she said while drinking the wine quickly.

"Ok…so… you avoided the ex-boyfriend topic before… I told you everything about Mara..I don't know anything about your past love stories…so, come on, spill it."

"Oh well…there's really nothing interesting to say… I had a non-existing love life until college…then there was Bright… and he kinda broke my heart. You know, the dorky girl and the popular guy. So cliché, too much cliché, even for me!"

"What happened, why he broke your heart?"

"Let's say..I wasn't worth waiting for, apparently. We dated for a whole year without having sex. I wasn't ready. I thought he was ok with it. Then we had sex and everything was great until it wasn't anymore. I discovered that he cheated on me a month before our first time. He was drunk and that beautiful girl was right there and, you know, one thing leads to another…classic right?"

"Classic when you're dating an idiot!"

"Oh no.. I mean, yes, he was an idiot…but I forgave him. He tried everything to take me back, he apologized, I understood him, he had his reasons, I wasn't perfect. I was pretty hard to understand, actually. Still am and I know it. He's a good guy, really…just, not the guy for me. I'm not mad at him for cheating on me anymore…I just, uhm… I guess he's the reasons why I'm not having sex with Matthew and he's probably cheated on me too by now "

Jackson frowned "What do you mean you're not having sex with Matthew?" and April could feel a mix of concern and relief in his voice.

"I mean what I mean. I'm not having sex with him… I just don't feel like it and I don't know why…or maybe I do. it's just… wait. Enough with me. Too many questions for only a glass of wine! It's your turn baby!"

Jackson knew she was just joking but hearing her endearment made his heart skip a bit. He decided not to push the conversation too much for now. He wanted to know more but he had to be careful. He drunk his glass of whiskey and said "Ok..go. Just to be clear, though, another glass and I'll be totally drunk, you know that?"

April laughed "I'm completely drunk already, so where's the problem?! Ok…so… You said Bright is an idiot. Are you telling me you never broke a girl's heart? Never cheated on someone?"

"Nope. I mean.. I never cheated, I'm not that kind of guy, you should know that. I probably broke some hearts in the past but it was unintentional for sure. The thing is… You decide to be with one person right? Well, if you don't love her anymore you just tell her. No need for cheating in my opinion. "

April felt a distinct knot in her stomach "Well..it's not always that easy!"

"I'm not saying it's easy but.."

"..but it's right. I know. It's just…what if I leave him and then I'm alone for the rest of my life? Maybe I denied myself a happy, quiet life just because I don't feel the sparks…so what? It's not all about that!"

"Wait…are we talking about you and Matthew now?" Jackson asked, confused by her sadden confession.

April drunk another glass of wine and rested her head on the back of the coach "Yes, yes we are. I think I don't love him enough, not as much as he loves me. But maybe I should just wait…it's not always love at first sight. Sometimes it grows in you, right?. I mean, the love…and the passion..maybe I'll feel them, with time. Maybe I just need to leave my damn insecurities behind..maybe it's just that."

"Or maybe he's just not the guy for you if he's not able to make you see that you're..."

April laughed bitterly, interrupting him "..the guy for me doesn't exist apparently then. Because I'm too neurotic, too demanding, I don't know, I'm..."

"You're incredible" Jackson said out loud, without thinking, following his instinct "You're neurotic, yes, and you may be demanding…but you're sweet, and understanding, and funny, and so beautiful! And if you don't see yourself like this it means you haven't found the right guy yet. You need to be with someone who makes you feel worthy, because you are. Believe me."

April smiled, almost moved "Thank you Jackson…I know you're saying this because you're my best friend but I really appreciate it."

"I'm saying this because it's true. I'm your best friend, I'm not your brother April! I'm a man and I see you as you are!"

"And how am I then?" she asked, curious.

Jackson smiled, drunk another glass of liquor "Is this my turn to answer sincerely?"

"It is."

"Well, then... I think you're beautiful, very, very sexy. Probably the sexiest woman I've ever met."

April laughed "Yes sure. You're so drunk Jackman! You just saw me on your computer! How can you say I'm the sexiest woman you've ever met?!"

"First of all, sensuality is not all about you're physical aspect. Your voice is sexy. The way you laugh is sexy. The way you curl your hair with your fingers is pretty damn sexy. And then…Let me remember you you've became a Facebook addicted and you put on there a lot of your college pics. I saw you in a bikini and, believe me, your body is kind of perfect!"

April blushed "Did you really spent your time looking through my bikini pics?"

"Oh, you have no idea!"

April laughed, surprised "That's…"

"Creepy? Pervert?"

"No…I…" she drunk again and continued "I was saying that's flattering, actually."

They stayed in silence for a little while, deciding if they wanted to continue that dangerous conversation. Then Jackson decided he was drunk enough to take the next step:

"I spend a lot of time thinking about you recently…about you in general, and about you in a bikini…and about you naked, for that matter." He laughed, seeing April's shocked expression "Thanks goodness I'm far away from you now… I can see your hand ready to slap me."

April laughed out loud "Ok, this is getting serious, I think I need a lot of alcohol to answer you're next question, am I right?" She took the bottle of wine and drunk directly from it.

Jackson laughed, reassured by the fact that she was playing his game "Probably yes, considering I'm going to ask you if you ever think about me naked. Have you ever fantasized about me, April?"he said, smirking and sitting more comfortable on his armchair.

April's heart was beating faster. She was tipsy, probably drunk, and she was enjoying that weird conversation more than she should have. She felt at ease though. Relaxed.. She felt ready to unfold, she wanted it.

"Well… I had a few dreams in which you were pretty naked, I guess, yes."

Jackson smiled widely "Dreams huh? And what were we doing in those dreams?"

April blushed "Oh come on! You know it!"

"Nope…I don't, but I want to know what I I do when I'm asleep…"

April giggled "Well, you do… wonderful things…"

"Yeah? Wonderful things like kissing you, for example?"

"Maybe..."

"…and like touching you…everywhere?"

April blushed furiously "Mhm mhm…for example…"

Jackson smiled, seeing her letting go "…and I make love to you?"

"…yes."

"…and I make you come?"

"Oh God Jackson!"

He smirked "I can take it as a yes?!"

She opened her mouth to speak but wasn't able to say nothing, she laughed embarrassed instead.

"I'll take it as a yes. Ok." Jackson smirked "You made me come too, by the way, multiple times…"

"Jackson!"

He laughed out loud at her shocked expression. He had to admit he was embarrassed too but he didn't want to stop either "What? I told you I think about you naked…what do you think I do meanwhile?!"

April put her hands on her face and shook her head "I need to adjust the thermostat, it's getting too hot in here" she said, voice low, involuntarily flirting.

"Then take off your shirt.." he smirked "It's hot in here too, by the way…really, really hot." He said while taking off his own t-shirt.

April blushed furiously, not being able to take her eyes away from his perfect chest and abs, "I…uhm… Jackson, come on..I don't know what we're doing anymore…I…"

"Just go with your instinct April… I want you, I want you so much and I'm dying because I can't kiss your perfect lips right now! Just..please…just imagine this is one of your dreams…I can't kiss you right now, I can't touch you, but I want to make you feel good…let me make you feel good…"

April looked directly into his eyes. His stare was serious, intense and sweet, so incredibly tender. Without saying anything more she took the hem of her t-shirt and slowly took it off of her shoulders, revealing her naked chest. Jackson's immediate moan was enough to make her completely forget any inhibitions. She never felt more beautiful and sexy. He was making her feel confident. He was making her feel safe.

He was making her feel loved.