As Asher rinses his hair, Nathaniel runs soapy hands over his vampire's body, cleaning while savoring the simple feel of Asher's skin under his hands.

"I love you too," he murmurs. He's quiet for a moment. "I want you happy. The way Anita looks at me tells me you will be, that she's going to give that inch you want her to. It's this mixture of terrified excitement and immense guilt, but I can't say anything to her about it."

His soapy fingers linger on Asher's calves as he looks up at Asher from where he's crouched.

"I just..." Nathaniel swallows. "I need to make you happy."

It seems desperately important to him to keep Asher happy, to give his vampire no cause for complaint.