I was 22 when I had feelings for my professor who was maybe in her early 40's or late 30's, and the feeling was mutual we never talked about it but apparently it didn't bother her or didnt bother her enough to stop her from showing interest. I felt weird because I thought looking into the future, it would be difficult having such a huge age gap but honestly if you love someone I don't think it matters, and I felt like despite the age difference we had a strange chemistry and were really alike. I ran away from the forming the relationship because I was scared, and my excuse was the age thing but in hindsight I don't think it matters really, at least not necessarily.

I've also felt really self conscious about it as a male though, I once really liked a girl who had just turned 19 and I was 23, and I was worried people might think badly of me, or think I was some kind of predator or something.