I dated a guy 3 years older when I was 14. He was a really good guy and we had a healthy, positive, 3-year relationship. He was not exploiting me.
This was on the heels of a short, awful relationship with a creep my own age who was just trying to get as far as he could with me so he could brag about it to his buddies. He didn't have much to tell.
Age has less to do with boy-girl relationships--especially for an HG+ kid--than character does. The only reasons I can think of that make age an issue are 1) older boys tend to be more self-assured and more able to manipulate younger girls if they choose to, and 2) older boys tend to be more experienced (and/or "ready") sexually, and they may be less patient with younger girls, pressuring them.
But a good guy won't do either of those things, regardless of his age. A creep will, regardless of his age. I'd look less at age and more at character.
