Deep in Desire: A Sapphic Age-Gap Romance

Minutes seemed to stretch into an eternity as she sipped her latté, her eyes flickering toward the entrance every two seconds. And just as she was beginning to doubt whether Holly would even show, she spotted her, brimming with warmth and vitality, dressed in a casual blouse and jeans. Holly’s eyes lit up as she approached the table, the curve of her mouth stretched out into a smile. “Deborah! I can’t tell you how glad I am to see you.”

Deborah returned the smile, feeling a sense ofrelief flooding through her. “Me too,” she replied, standing up and pulling out a chair for Holly to sit.

As they perused the breakfast menu, their conversation was easy and light-hearted. Deborah was drawn back into Holly’s world, captivated by her passion and zest for life.

“So, what about you? What have you been up to? My mom never shuts up about your job, you know? She thinks you’re the coolest. I’d worry about the competition if she weren’t married.” Holly laughed.

“Oh, no. It’s never been like that between your mother and me—thank god—or this could’ve been even more awkward,” Deborah replied hesitatingly, her thoughts racing. “Work has been pretty busy. I guess it always is,” she offered, and then, choosing her words very carefully, she continued, “But I’ve also been… thinking about other things.”

Deborah saw a flicker of understanding in Holly’s eyes. “Things?”

Deborah nodded, “About us; about everything that happened.”

Their eyes locked, and in that moment, Deborah sensed a shared vulnerability—a recognition of their unspoken emotions. She took adeep breath, doing her best to push aside her fears.

“Holly, I… I feel something for you,” she declared in an uncertain voice. “Something I can’t quite explain. Something super unexpected began bubbling from the moment we started to speak.”

Holly’s response was measured, her expression somewhere between empathy and caution. “Deborah…”

4

HOLLY

Holly couldn’t shake the warmth that spread through her whenever Deborah was near. It wasn’t just her infectious laugh or the way she effortlessly captivated everyone around her. It was the subtle gestures, such as how Deborah would tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear whenever she was concentrating, or the genuine interest she showed in people’s stories, no matter how mundane they seemed. And so many of her mother’s friends told extraordinarily boring stories.

But Holly knew she and Deborah were entering dangerous territory. Deborah had been friends with her mother for years, and she knew how much she cherished their closeness. What ifrevealing her true emotions right here and now risked all that? The thought gnawed at her as they sat across from each other.

Deborah smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners in a way that made Holly’s heart skip a beat.

“You were about to say something, Holly?”

Holly hesitated, her fingers tracing the rim of her cup. She so wanted to confide in Deborah. She felt she needed to tell her how much she meant to her. But her fear was holding her back. Deborah had just admitted her feelings, hadn’t she? But what if they were to take this thing between them further… and it ruined everything?

Taking a deep breath, Holly made eye contact with Deborah and responded, her voice quivering. “I’m the same, Deborah. I’ve been thinking about us. Of course, I have. I mean, what happened at the wedding was… incredible. God, what a turn-on…”

“And I’ve yet to return the favor, right? You took care of me and then… nothing. But you made me feel so alive. And I want to see if you can get as good as you give, Holly. Jesus, I can’t believe I’m saying this to Esme’s kid. What’s wrong with me? It feels so wrong sometimes. But you are an adult. A strong minded, consenting, beautiful woman.”

Holly smiled as her fingers rustled through her hair. “I think you and I have a sexual connection that’s rare. I want to see where this goes.”

Deborah leaned forward, a look of concern etched on her face. “In what way, though? I mean, let’s be really serious for a second here.”

Holly’s heart was thudding in her chest. This was it. She couldn’t hold back any longer. “It’s more than what happened on the terrace. I-I think I might have feelings for you. I’ve been asking around about you. Everyone likes you. Cam never stops singing your praises. You’re something else. I want to know everything there is to know about you. I’m talking more than friendship. More than hooking up… I want to explore things with you. See where this goes.”

A heavy silence hung between them, and Holly’s pulse quickened with each passing second. Deborah was the first to speak, her expression softening into a gentle smile. “Holly, I… I think I feel the same way. I mean, that’s why I called you. It’s just that I’m so worried. This is so unlike me.”

A sensation of relief washed over Holly mingled with disbelief. “You do?”

Deborah nodded, reaching across the table to gently squeeze Holly’s hand. “I’ve been so afraid tosay anything. I didn’t want to risk my friendship with your mother. I still don’t. I can’t even imagine what people are going to say about this. But… I just can’t stop thinking about you.”

Their fingers intertwined, and, at that moment, Holly knew that their brief encounter would turn into something deeper, something worth exploring.

“I’m so glad we’re having this conversation,” Holly murmured as she looked down at the table, her cheeks flushing pink. “And yes, you owe me. And I’d like to call in the favor as soon as possible.”

“Oh, I can’t wait. Just the thought of touching you, of?—”

Their shared confession was interrupted by the sudden ringing of Deborah’s phone. She picked it out of her purse and stared at the screen.

“Don’t go anywhere. We haven’t finished,” she said with a wink, her expression shifting to one of concern as she answered the call.