I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before but I’m a huge baseball fan. So, you can only imagine how excited I am about our July book boyfriend. His name is Jake Ross and he’s the star of Rina Gray‘s Crazy for You. Jake’s a pitcher for the most storied franchise in sports, The New York Yankees. The pinstripes may be slimming but Jake likes himself a little thickness. Or so he tells me. . .
JL: Jake, tell us a little bit about yourself
I’m originally from Mobile, Alabama and resided there until I was drafted by the New York Yankees. I have two brothers, two nieces, and two nephews and a hell-raising grandma. Actually, can I retract the mention of my grandma? Otherwise she’s gonna write me out of her will again and hit me with her heavy ass purse. Okay where was I? Mom and dad are still together. They believe in the union of marriage and love, so they gave me a lot of hell about my past exploits with women.
Most people assume I’m a huge jock, but that’s only a small part of me. In college, I majored in communications, I’m a huge comic book fan and a fun evening for me these days includes Netflix shows like Luke Cage and Daredevil. But, before I met my girl, I won’t lie…I was heavy into the party scene.
JL: You could have played any other sport. Why Baseball?
When I was younger, I was overweight and I was definitely an indoors kid. Imagine the kid with coke bottle glasses, with a few comics in my backpack. My parents were old school and believed that kids should be outside playing. We butted heads but then came to an agreement that I had to play one organized sport. I chose baseball because it seemed like less running—especially being a pitcher. After a season of playing , I was hooked. I tried out for the school team in middle school and made the B-squad. I knew that if I wanted to play varsity I needed to focus on being healthy and getting into shape. So I dropped the weight, had a growth spurt, and transformed during my freshman year in high school.
JL: You have a reputation for being a player. Do you want to set the record straight?
I was a player B.C. that is Before Charlotte. As a matter of fact, that’s how we met. My publicist will kill me for admitting this, but after the story broke about my…fun times with a certain actress and model, my reputation plummeted. There was a time when I was more known for my extracurricular activities rather than my talent as a pitcher. Not gonna lie, I hated it. I worked my ass off and I’m an All-star player. Back then I had a different mentality, as long as I was upfront about things with women, and I didn’t hurt anyone, it was nobody’s business but ours. Besides, I volunteered my time with the youth, so I couldn’t be as bad as the media portrayed me to be, right? Wrong. Sponsors didn’t see it that way. I understand now that it’s important to protect your brand, whatever it may be.
Anyway, Charlotte worked at the center where I spent time with mentoring young athletes. She got sick one day and I took care of her. From there, we found we have mutual interest and the relationship grew into something special.
JL: When it comes to women, what quality do you find most attractive?
Confidence. There is nothing sexier than a woman who owns her sexuality. You have a lot of junk in your trunk, jiggle in your wiggle? Own it. Love it. Doesn’t matter, step into a room and tell yourself that you are the most interesting woman in the world and everything else will shine through.
JL: Yes, that’s great. Has it always been that way?
I used to be known for dating models, but I’ve always loved a woman with curves.
JL: How do you usually woo a woman into your bed? Are you a sweet talker or a let me show you kind of guy?
Haha. Now y’all are getting personal! So we’re doing B.C. (Before Charlotte), I didn’t really have to woo. I know this sounds cocky, but being a famous athlete made sweet talking unnecessary. However, I do believe actions speaks louder than words. So I’m more of a “show you” kind of guy. If you trust me to take you to my bed, then I’m going to take care of you. All. Night. Long.
JL: What’s the most romantic thing you’ve done for a woman you cared about?
Before Charlotte not a damn thing. After, well, it’s kind of personal. Let’s just say Charlotte is really into superheroes and I did something that allowed her to see herself as I see her—Supergirl and Wonder Woman rolled into a sexy package.
JL: There’s a little rumor about you and a certain PR person. Care to comment?
I’m a straight shooter so I’ll come out and say it. Charlotte Jones is a game changer. She flew into my life like a curveball and I didn’t know which way she was going, but I was able to catch her somehow. And now, I’m never letting her go.
JL: In bed, would you rather hit a straight out 400 f00t home run or an inside the park with the bases loaded?
Inside the park…bases loaded… Heart racing. Pulse pounding. Anticipation. You either go big or go home. When it comes to my woman we go BIG at HOME.
Rapid fire questions:
High Socks or Low Cuffs?
Low cuffs.
Low key night at home or slow dancing at a posh lounge?
Low key night at home.
Batting Gloves or Bare Hands?
Bare hands.
On your girl: Boy shorts or thongs?
Thongs.
Boxers, Briefs, or Nothing?
Boxer briefs.
Whew! I want more. Don’t you? You can get to know Jake even better, read Crazy for You. It’s available August 19, but you can pre-order today!
About Rina Gray
Rina Gray is a contemporary and paranormal romance writer. She is also a digital marketing professional who discovered her love of writing in 2012. Writing has always been Rina’s passion, though initially, she tried to deny it. In college, she served as the copy editor for the entertainment magazine and newspaper. During her tenure, she had the opportunity to interview various talented entertainers including Chris Rock and the cast from Reno-911.
Rina has always been an avid reader, sneaking to read her mother’s books she had no business reading i.e. Stephen King’s The Stand, It, and Anne Rice’s various vampire series. As a pre-teen, she received a load of romance novels from a family friend and from that point on, she devoured any book related to romance or horror.
You can learn more about Rina on her website or follow her on social media: