Panic clutched her airway, giving her the answer. She no more wanted him to leave than he seemed to want to. "Go where?"

He shook his head, jaw ticking. "It won't matter."

"Of course, it matters." He had no one. She'd suspected it before, but the notion gelled the more she got to know him.

"I don't" He closed his eyes and sighed.

"You don't what? Don't matter?" Lord, her stomach rioted. The longer he stood not answering, the hotter her eyes burned. Her ...