Young Love, Old Hearts

By Supposed Crimes, LLC

Everyone hears "He's too young for you." "She's too old for you." Not between these pages. This anthology crosses the age gap with nine enchanting stories of cross-generational relationships. Some are sweet, some are sexy, some are heartbreaking. One is downright murderous. The protagonists are gay men or women searching for true love or trying out what's right in front of them.

Verso and Recto by Geonn Cannon
Discovering their mutual love of reading leads a literature student and her professor to take a step neither of them expected.

A Blizzard’s Blow by Adrian J. Smith
Lollie dashes from the house in the middle of a blizzard in search of something she’s not sure she’ll find, but she hopes to never again see the same cold, blank stare Kimberley gave her.

Slice by Ralph Greco Jr.
When Germane relinquishes her more-than-slight kinky relationship with Lila to begin a new one with younger A.J., she finds a flirty, fun and wholly different “Slice” of life opening up for her.

That December by Lela E. Buis
Celia finds that older women and the politics of genetic engineering aren’t what they seem.

The Arrangement by Helena Maeve
When he is summoned into his Dom’s study after a mutually satisfying scene, Cyril knows he’s in for something worse than the play they normally get up to.

New York Minute by Stacy O’Steen
Stuck in his depressing hometown for far too long, Colton jumps at the chance to return to his beloved New York City. But when some odd coincidences click into place, he needs to find the truth hidden in the lies.

The Artist as an Old Man by A. M. Leibowitz
1985 is a big year for Kenny Anderson. Sent to interview artist Aaron Rubenstein, making a grand reappearance after a three-year absence, Kenny digs beneath the surface to understand Aaron’s life—and maybe his own.

Adjunct Hell by Erin McRae & Racheline Maltese
Phil may be in his 50s, but he’s still a student, and the fact that Carl—who’s barely 30—is dating him would bad enough even if Carl wasn’t waiting for good news from the tenure committee.

Say You Do by Kassandra Lea
Keegan Bancroft is hoping to avoid a complete meltdown before his date. But there’s something he really wants to ask Richard.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Supposed Crimes, LLC
• Release date: May 1, 2015
• ISBN: 9781938108808

Supposed Crimes, LLC

Supposed Crimes, LLC publishes fiction and poetry primarily featuring lesbian characters and themes. The focus is on genre fiction–Westerns, Science Fiction, Horror, Action–rather than just romance. That’s how we set ourselves apart from our competitors. Our characters happen to love women and kick ass.“Supposed crimes” refers to the idea that homosexuality was once outlawed. Thus, our authors are being subversive by writing. As times change this becomes more tongue-in-cheek. Yet, Christians writing lesbians and men writing lesbians are still subversive ideas in this industry. We encourage our authors to challenge stereotypes.

Book preview

Young Love, Old Hearts

A Supposed Crimes Anthology

Smashwords Edition

Supposed Crimes LLC, Matthews, North Carolina

2015

Published in the United States

ISBN: 978-1-938108-80-8

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Lesbian

Verso and Recto by Geonn Cannon

Discovering their mutual love of reading leads a literature student and her professor to take a step neither of them expected.

A Blizzard’s Blow by Adrian J. Smith

Lollie dashes from the house in the middle of a blizzard in search of something she’s not sure she’ll find, but she hopes to never again see the same cold, blank stare Kimberley gave her.

Slice by Ralph Greco Jr.

When Germane relinquishes her more-than-slight kinky relationship with Lila to begin a new one with younger A.J., she finds a flirty, fun and wholly different Slice of life opening up for her.

That December by Lela E. Buis

Celia finds that older women and the politics of genetic engineering aren’t what they seem.

Gay

The Arrangement by Helena Maeve

When he is summoned into his Dom’s study after a mutually satisfying scene, Cyril knows he’s in for something worse than the play they normally get up to.

New York Minute by Stacy O’Steen

Stuck in his depressing hometown for far too long, Colton jumps at the chance to return to his beloved New York City. But when some odd coincidences click into place, he needs to find the truth hidden in the lies.

The Artist as an Old Man by A. M. Leibowitz

1985 is a big year for Kenny Anderson. Sent to interview artist Aaron Rubenstein, making a grand reappearance after a three-year absence, Kenny digs beneath the surface to understand Aaron’s life—and maybe his own.

Adjunct Hell by Erin McRae & Racheline Maltese

Phil may be in his 50s, but he’s still a student, and the fact that Carl—who’s barely 30—is dating him would bad enough even if Carl wasn’t waiting for good news from the tenure committee.

Say You Do by Kassandra Lea

Keegan Bancroft is hoping to avoid a complete meltdown before his date. But there’s something he really wants to ask Richard.

Verso and Recto

Geonn Cannon

The smell of books was thick in Professor Weatherly’s home. That was what Colleen remembered from the very beginning. The hallway leading past the stairs and paneled with dark wood, and light coming from the kitchen at one end and the foyer on the other. Diane often kept the living room closed so that the entrance of her home seemed like one corridor with a flight of stairs leading up to the second story. It was almost like she was corralling her visitors up to the bedroom. But the real draw was the room opposite the parlor, in what had once been a study.

Colleen often thought about her first visit to the house. She had stood on the threshold and stared at the rows upon rows of leather spines stacked on three of the four walls. The room seemed to absorb sound and repel light. There was a curtained window next to the roll-top desk, but the light didn’t seem to penetrate much beyond the chair. She had gone in and ran her hand along the back of the velvet couch before she let herself gawp at the books.

Diane had come in behind her and waited until Colleen saw her before she smiled. So did you find one you’d like to take?

One? No. I want to take them all.

Diane laughed. Well. Let’s start with one and see what happens.

If only they had known what would happen. Would it have stopped them? Would one of them have run in the other direction? Colleen hoped not. They met when Colleen was a student in Diane’s class. Professor Weatherly, Literature and Culture. From the first day it was one of Colleen’s favorite classes due to the focus on reading analysis. She soon discovered the professor was smart, easy-going, and quick-witted. She often exerted a kind of prideful defiance, lifting her chin and lifting one side of her mouth as she made a joke almost as if she was daring her students not to laugh at it.

Colleen very quickly developed a crush on the bookish professor. She was in her forties, dark-haired but otherwise lightly colored. Her skin was a pale pink and her eyes equally light blue. It made Colleen wonder if the professor was born blonde and dyed her hair darker or if she was just an intriguing mishmash of genetics. She was poised and had perfect posture, often leaving her desk to stride in front of the stadium seating like a general addressing her troops. The assignments written on the three blackboards behind her desk became battle orders.

Their first real interaction, person to person, happened as Colleen was filing out of the room with the rest of the class. She was nearly to the door when Professor Weatherly said, Miss Griffin.

She stepped out of the crowd so she wouldn’t be trampled. Yes?

I enjoyed reading your Don Quixote paper. You really seem to love the subject.

Oh. Yes! It’s always been one of my favorites.

It shows. Keep up the good work.

Colleen smiled. I’ll do my best. Thanks.

A few days later when Diane called her again as she was entering class. She opened the bottom drawer of her desk and withdrew a hardback copy of ‘The Luminaries’ by Eleanor Catton. I believe you left this behind yesterday.

Oh, God. Thank you. I was looking everywhere for that this morning.

It’s a very good book, Diane said as she handed it over. I look forward to hearing what you thought of it when you’re finished.

Colleen said, But... we can’t do contemporary literature in this class. I mean, I’d take an exception...

Diane smiled and ducked her head. No, I meant personally. Not at an assignment. You come across as very astute in your work, and I think you and I could have a very interesting conversation about it. If you want to, of course.

Of course! Colleen said. I’m always trying to talk about the books I read but none of my friends have ever read them. She tapped the book’s cover with two fingers. I’ll definitely let you know when I’m done.

I’ll look forward to it.

Colleen spent the next few days devouring the book, reading as fast as possible without sacrificing comprehension. She didn’t want to squander the opportunity to not only talk about a book she enjoyed, but to have the discussion with someone as intelligent as Professor Weatherly. She didn’t want to come off looking like an ignorant student. So she took notes, she studied online reading guides, and she basically treated the entire thing like a combination of homework assignment and job interview. She finally read the last page on a Wednesday night, and she spent the whole day Thursday trying to figure out how she could casually reveal this information to the professor.

All her planning went out the window when she walked into class and simply blurted out, I finished the book.

Diane looked at her. What book?

The crushed feeling almost overwhelmed her, but she fought through it. ‘The Luminaries’? You said...

Realization dawned and Diane squeezed her eyes shut, touching two fingers to her forehead. Oh, of course! Yes, I’m sorry. I thought you were talking about an assignment. Did you like it?

I loved it. I can’t wait to talk with you about it. All my friends saw the eight hundred page count and went back to reading ‘Harry Potter.’

Diane smiled and stood up. I’m free for lunch tomorrow. Why don’t you meet with me here and we can talk about it?

I would love that. Eleven o’clock?

Eleven-thirty?

Excellent.

The next day Colleen arrived as Diane’s class was letting out. She waited in the hallway and then slipped inside. Diane was across the room in her cramped office, crouched down to retrieve something out of her bag. Her back was to the room so Colleen took a moment to appreciate the shape of the older woman’s backside where her skirt stretched across the curves. She was wearing high heels that day, and Colleen was transfixed by the sight. If the image hadn’t already been in her fantasies, it would have been firmly entrenched as of that moment.

Professor Weatherly?

She glanced over her shoulder. Hi! I’m just grabbing my lunch. Pull up a seat.

Colleen had brought a sack lunch like an elementary school kid because she hadn’t been willing to risk wasting time in line at some restaurant. She sat in one of the front row desks and took out her book as Diane came out of the office with her own copy and a salad in a plastic container. She saw where Colleen was sitting and waved her forward. I meant at my desk. I’m not lecturing you. I want to have a discussion.

Oh! Right. Sorry. She gathered her things and pulled a chair up beside Diane’s desk.

Diane opened the top of her salad and unwrapped her fork. So I suppose with this novel the appropriate question to start with is... what’s your sign?

Colleen laughed. Sagittarius. You?

Gemini. I wish I knew enough about astrology to have any idea what that means.

Then we wouldn’t have a chance to find out for ourselves.

Diane smiled. I agree. So let’s get started... first of all, did you like it?

Colleen started to answer, but then closed her mouth. She had an answer prepared but suddenly it didn’t seem correct. I don’t know. I’m not sure.

Diane’s smile widened. Excellent answer.

They spent the next forty minutes discussing the book’s unique structure and debating what the author was attempting to achieve with it. They both agreed that it was a brilliant feat of writing, but they differed on whether it was a worthy piece of literature on its own or if it only served as a work of art that reflected other worthy pieces. Diane called it an incredibly adept parody of a style that failed to create anything of its own. Colleen disagreed; the story and characters weren’t important on their own, but as a whole they represented a whole tapestry of character creation and storytelling.

They hadn’t come to any common ground by the time the lunch break ended. Diane replaced the lid on her salad and placed it in the trash can under her desk. We get upset over disagreements because we fear the other person may be right and we don’t respect their opinion. But I am happy to be disagreeing with someone as smart as you, Miss Griffin.

Colleen raised her eyebrows. Wow. Thank you. That’s quite a compliment.

You deserve it. I’m willing to concede you may be right.

Or maybe there’s no right. Maybe the book is whatever we decide it is. I liked it, you didn’t, and we’re both right.

Diane nodded. I like that conclusion. I can live with it.

Me too. Thanks for lunch.

It was wonderful. Thank you for stopping by.

Colleen stood and gathered her trash.

Diane had started toward her office, but she stopped halfway there. You know, if there’s one thing I remember about being a college student it’s that I never had enough books to read or the money to buy more. And the school library...

Ugh. Forget even trying.

Exactly. I’ve amassed quite a library over the years. I’m normally a very spartan person, but I can never seem to get rid of my books. If you would like to come over and borrow one from time to time, I would be happy knowing they were with someone who would truly appreciate them.

Colleen blinked in surprise. Really? That would be absolutely amazing. Yes, of course!

Diane walked back to her desk and bent over to write something down. This is my address. Naturally I don’t want this getting out...

Of course not. She felt overwhelmed with the trust being placed in her as Diane gave her the paper. This is so generous of you.

You’re very welcome. Come by this weekend and I’ll let you snoop around to see if our tastes are compatible.

Can’t wait.

Neither can I. Thank you for a wonderful lunch, Colleen.

She started to leave but then turned back. That’s the first time you haven’t called me Miss Griffin.

Oh. I’m sorry.

Don’t be. It’s fine. I’ll see you Saturday. Noon?

Sounds perfect.

Colleen nodded and headed out, slipping the precious piece of paper into her pocket as she left the classroom.

That night when she had to choose the next book to start reading, she found herself trying to choose something she wouldn’t be ashamed to show Professor Weatherly. She wanted to read something that mattered and might provoke another discussion like the one they’d shared that afternoon. She curled up in bed with a good candidate and read the first chapter before she realized she was still thinking about ‘The Luminaries’ and the conversation with Professor Weatherly. She closed the book and put it aside, deciding she would skip choosing a new book until she saw what the professor’s private library had to offer her.

Her first visit to Professor Weatherly’s home, a sophisticated Victorian on a quiet tree-lined street was a surreal experience. The house was kept almost uncomfortably warm, something she would only really notice on subsequent visits. An herbal smell emanated from the kitchen where Colleen would eventually learn the professor kept enough tea to support a British colony. As soon as the door was closed behind her Colleen felt as if the entire world had been shut away.

She moved down the shelves with her head tilted to one side so she could read the spines. Some of the books looked untouched and brand-new from the store, while others were library remainders or bore spines so bent and broken that she couldn’t read the titles. Diane had an eclectic taste in fiction that ranged from mystery to romance to science-fiction to high fantasy. She had all the Game of Thrones books, she seemed to have a wide range of Hamish Macbeth, and even a good collection of what Colleen considered supermarket checkout paperbacks like James Patterson and Dean Koontz.

While she searched, Diane