Matte, pronounced mah-tay, is the word used in some forms of martial arts to stop a fight. It's the Japanese word for
stop or
wait.
Sam (short for Samantha) has made a hobby out of learning the various fighting disciplines, but she also happens to be a sexual submissive. What better safeword than matte?
Sam wants to find someone to submit to who she can't beat in a fight. She's tried to make it work with men from the scene who know nothing about fighting, but it doesn't feel real -- she needs someone who can truly control her. However, after dating from the fight scene and discovering not all guys like to spank their girlfriends, she's decided to just back away from the whole dating thing for a while... until Fate decides to step in.