Ah, but that second statement says the truth of things. Asher doesn't want it, and Nathaniel thinks that's to be expected. He'd seen what it is like for Anita, her thoughts shared even when she doesn't necessarily mean them to be. Asher likes his privacy, and he knows he's no Julianna, and Asher's been hurt and--

He stops with the excuses and nods a little. "I have more than I could have hoped for now," he whispers, managing a smile into the mirror. "I don't hope for more. Two marks bound to a master vampire I love, claimed as his pomme and lover. More than I ever dreamed for myself."