In tonight’s episode, Jess spends some time trying to turn up the passion with her current beau Mr. Fancyman, who is the latest man to grab Jess’ attention. Next week, we know Jess’ ex Paul (guest star Justin Long) will make an appearance, possibly stirring things up again. It seems Jess doesn’t know what she wants in a man, even when we all know (sooner or later), she’s going to see he was next to her all along (as one of her three male roommates, a thirty-year-old bartender and law school dropout — but still, it’s meant to be!) Yes, we know Nick and Jess is bound to happen — but when? With only three episodes left and all this drama with other men, is there time for a Nick-and-Jess spark? Jake Johnson (who plays the scruffy but adorable Nick) says definitely yes.

In an interview with E! Online, Johnson confirmed that “there’s a connection between the two” and that as an actor and fan of the show, he’s excited to see where that chemistry takes them. “I’m really curious as to how [the producers] see it going down,” he said, “Because something’s going to go down.” He also reassured Nick-Jess fans that this will happen soon: “There’s a lot of Nick-Jess stuff at the end of the season.”

Johnson also addressed the special relationship his character has with Schmidt, his hilariously uptight and douche-y roommate. Though both funny in their own right, Johnson believes that when the two get together, “they are at their dumbest,” bringing out “the worst in each other, and that’s a good thing.” From the prized moments we’ve witnessed with these two, we couldn’t agree more.

Johnson also pleaded Peyton Manning to come on the show and play his boss at the bar (as “Peyton Banning”), and said that this week, we can look forward to Nick topless (sort of, with overalls), instead of the usual Schmidt, who loves to undress in the apartment.

Are you excited to finally see some Nick and Jess action in the last episodes of this season? How do you think it will happen? Perhaps they will end the season on a Nick-Jess cliffhanger? If you’re a Nick-Jess shipper like us, May 8 can’t come soon enough.

(Image courtesy of FOX)