Unintended Attraction

I've been married for twenty years now and I thought my life was pretty stable. Nothing much surprises me anymore, or so I thought until last semester when I started teaching a class that had a TA, let's call her Sarah. She’s in her mid-twenties, sharp as a tack, and we had some great academic discussions outside of our official meetings. It wasn't just the intellectual connection; it was also about how she seemed to notice me too, like when I would walk by her desk, or even catch her glancing at my office door. One day, after a particularly long talk where we both agreed on some important new insights, I suddenly felt this urge, this pull that had nothing to do with the work and everything to do with something much more base. It's strange how you can think you’ve got it all figured out and then be blindsided by such an unexpected attraction. To be honest, my heart started racing when we were alone together, which hasn't happened in decades. I haven’t acted on these feelings, I know better than to risk everything for a fleeting moment of passion with someone so much younger and who could never return the sentiment anyway. But there it is, an uncomfortable truth about myself that I’ve kept from my wife.