Hurt Me Once, Shame On You
Katrina Jones is determined to rebuild her life on her own terms after losing both parents in a tragic accident years back. Being practical, independent, and fiercely focused on stability, she applies for a position at the prestigious Whitmore Global, in hopes it will finally give her the financial security she desperately needs and that her writing hasn't given her.
But nothing prepares her for the man behind the desk.
From the moment Kate walks into billionaire CEO Eric Whitmore's office, an intense and undeniable spark ignites between them. One that neither logic nor professionalism can explain. A shocking moment of weakness leads to a kiss that changes everything, forcing Eric to reject her for the job despite knowing she is qualified. When he later offers to “take care of her” instead, Kate is left humiliated and furious, determined to stay far away from the arrogant man who clearly sees her as nothing more than a temptation.
Yet fate has other plans for them.
Thrown together repeatedly, Kate and Eric find it impossible to ignore the powerful connection between them. As resentment slowly gives way to attraction, late night conversations and stolen moments draw them closer until kate reluctantly agrees to give him a chance.
But loving a man like Eric comes at a price.
Secrets, jealousy, and dangerous business rivalries threaten to tear them apart, creating a betrayal that destroys the trust between them. When Kate is framed in a compromising scandal orchestrated by someone close to Eric, he is forced to choose between believing the woman he loves or the evidence placed before him.
Heartbroken and abandoned, Kate walks away.
Now, Eric must confront his own mistakes and fight to win back the one woman who has ever truly challenged his control before losing her forever.
Read
Chapter: CHAPTER EIGHT - HOPE? It wasn’t until her stomach started to grumble that she realized it was already well into the evening and she hadn’t eaten all day. At least she had managed to push Eric Whitmore to the back of her brain for a bit but the thought of him right now sent a wave of heat through her again. Kate remembered feeling disappointed when he had pulled back and she cursed herself for it. She could not recall being kissed like that before in her life. Ever! The hunger she felt and saw in his eyes was overwhelming. The way they fit perfectly together, moved together and surrendered to the moment was surprising. Kate was usually a slow burner. It took her a while before she got physical with men from her past but with Eric, the connection had been instant.“Slut” she said as she made her way to her kitchen to fix herself something to eat. She did feel a little better after writing though. It was her personal therapy other than music and it created an outlet for her to pour out her emotions c
Last Updated: 2026-02-14
Chapter: CHAPTER SEVEN- KATE'S CONFUSIONKate’s POV Kate did not know how she managed to leave the Whitmore Global building on wobbly legs. She remembered stepping into the elevator, she remembered the doors opening on the ground floor and the bright sunlight hitting her face when she stepped out into the street but everything had happened so fast. She finally paused for air, her brain trying to process the incident of the past few minutes. She heard the sound of car horns, footsteps as people walked by and loud conversations but her mind was focused on one person only. Eric Whitmore. Her lips still shivered from their kiss and she pressed them together, still tasting him. She closed her eyes and held her hand to her chest in an effort to steady the fast beating of her heart. She felt as if everyone that looked at her knew what she had done and she felt a little self conscious.“Holy shit” she muttered to herself before hailing a cab. As soon as Kate locked her door, she leaned heavily against it, letting out a
Last Updated: 2026-02-14
Chapter: CHAPTER SIX- RECONSIDERATION“Not her” Eric shook his head immediately.“From her resume, she seems fit for the role or at least a second interview. If I may ask sir, did she not seem qualified enough when you interviewed her?” His HM asked“I’m well aware of her qualifications. However, I don’t think that this is the right place for her.” Eric said flatly, leaning back in his chair. “Could we maybe give her a chance? We simply want you to have the best options”Eric looked at her with a cold expression indicating that he didn’t want to be questioned further.“Very well sir” his HM scampered under his gaze “I’ll take her name off the list” “Good” Eric said, watching as they both retreated from his office. He returned his attention back to his computer but couldn’t focus. Poor Katrina definitely didn’t deserve to pay for his mistake but hiring her would mean having to see her on a regular basis in his workspace, talk to her and fight urges he wasn’t sure he could suppress and he couldn’t afford that distracti
Last Updated: 2026-02-13
Chapter: CHAPTER FIVE- TOUGH CALLEric’s POV Eric felt her absence as soon as she left his office. His eyes remained on the wall, staring at the space for a full minute. The space where only seconds ago, he had her pressed tightly against him, her full lips giving as he demanded more. His jaw flexed and he ran his fingers through his hair.“Shit!” He cursed softly, angry at himself for losing control like that.What the hell had come over him? How could he let himself be so careless? He walked back to his desk but he couldn’t sit, he was too restless to. He paced back and forth before stopping in front of his floor to ceiling windows. Looking down into the busy streets, he took another deep breath and adjusted his shirt and tie. The wrinkles on his shirt caused the memory of her grip to come rushing back. The softness of her lips, the heat from their bodies, the way she melted into him and kissed him back with passion. Eric ran his hand through his hair and exhaled, staring at his disheveled reflection in th
Last Updated: 2026-02-13
Chapter: CHAPTER FOUR- THE KISS Kate pulled her hand back quickly from the shock and she noticed he had a slight frown on his face. She offered a polite smile before turning to leave and he followed her to the door. At this point, she was glad it was short. The room had suddenly gotten too hot. She could feel his presence closely behind her, towering over her petite frame. As she got to the door, he reached around her to open it and his arm brushed her shoulder briefly. They both stood like that, his hand still on the door and hers clutching her bag tight, afraid to breathe. Frozen in place. You could cut the tension in the room with a knife and at this point, it was pretty obvious that something dangerous was building between them. Before Kate could process what was happening, strong hands gripped her and she gasped as she was suddenly but gently pushed against the wall. Eric’s hands were placed on either side of her, his breathing ragged and nostrils flared. “Mr Whitmore!” Kate whispered but she lost all
Last Updated: 2026-02-13
Chapter: CHAPTER THREE- THE INTERVIEWEric’s POV Eric Whitmore glanced through the file on his desk with passive interest. He had no idea why he had chosen to conduct the interviews today rather than let his hiring manager do it. He was already on the verge of reassigning when his office phone rang.“Your nine o’ clock is here sir” his receptionist’s voice sounded through the speaker.“Right. Send her in” he said and closed the files on his desk. He looked up when his doors opened and the woman he saw walking in made him freeze. She wasn’t flashy or overly dressed but she was captivating. Dark curls framed her slim face, gorgeous brown skin, and almond eyes that held some sort of innocence in them. Her full lips were nude but had a little shine from her lip gloss. His gaze slowly drifted down her body and there was no missing the gentle sway of her hips as she carefully walked in, glancing around before her eyes settled on him and her lips parted. She was effortlessly sexy and he couldn’t take his eyes away from
Last Updated: 2026-02-13
LOGIN
