“It’s like I’ve known you forever,” Amber said. Mike grinned and held up her hand with the big gaudy ring on it, the one he won for her at the carnival. “This and our marriage license say you will.” Then, lowering himself beside her, he bent his head to kiss his new bride. They’d been building up to this moment all day and the long, leisurely kisses that had sustained them during the afternoon no longer satisfied him now that they were alone.He kissed her mouth, her cheek and followed a trail down her jaw line, pausing to nibble on her delectable earlobe, grazing her soft flesh gently with his teeth. Read more

Williamsburg resident Simon van Booy’s second collection of stories, Love Begins in Winter, was released this month and is sure to be this summer’s must read, but the dapper writer doesn’t have much time to rest. As he told Adam Rathe, he’s got a book tour to complete, a novel to finish and Pinkberry to eat. Read more

KGB’s Fantastic Fiction Enjoy the kind of speculation that won’t end with you losing all your money. A mix of veteran and up-and-coming writers of speculative fiction (science fiction, fantasy and horror) read excerpts and short stories once every month for this free event. This summer, highlights include critically acclaimed writer Brian Francis Slattery on June 17 and, for the July 15 reading, writers from the Clarion West workshop at UC San Diego, the premier institute for promising speculative authors. Third Wednesday of the month, KGB Bar, 85 E. 4th St., betw. 2nd Ave. & Bowery; 212-505-3360, www.kgbfantasticfiction.org; 7, FREE Happy Ending (Music and) Reading Series Host Amanda Sterns’ happy hour readings with music on the side, a perennially popular and star-studded series, will feature authors Samantha Hunt and Steven Berlin Johnson for its June 3 event, along with tunes from electronic music pioneer Tristan Perich. Most of the themes and writers for the summer are still TBA, but Lush Life author Richard Price, Moby and Vampire Weekend have all shown up before. If the past guest list is any indication, Happy Ending is definitely worth a visit. Read more