We had a royal taster also, as evidenced by my current user pic.
As for the getting over expecting being bitten, it takes a little time. Our Quilt (RIP) left several serious scars on my wife and my hands, but a while after his neuter we were totally comfortable with him kissing faces, sniffing ears and noses, and occasionally trying to groom eyebrows (no idea why he wanted to do that...if felt very odd).