Safeword: Matte

By Candace Blevins

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, and it’s important she can’t beat him 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 to her – 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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Candace Blevins
• Release date: May 25, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215583890

Candace Blevins

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Candace Blevins writes urban fantasy, paranormal romance, epic fantasy, contemporary BDSM romance, and two kick-ass motorcycle club series. She’s published more than fifty books. Candace lives with her husband of twenty-three years and their two teenaged daughters. The family’s beloved, goofy, retired racing greyhounds are usually at her side as she writes, quietly keeping her company. Or sometimes not so quietly.Her urban fantasy series, Only Human, gives us a world where weredragons, werewolves, werelions, three different species of vampires, and a variety of other mythological beings exist.Candace's four paranormal romance series are all sister series to the Only Human series, and give some secondary characters their happily ever after.Her two darker series are also sisters to the urban fantasy books. A Dark(ish) Faerie Tale provides a close-up and personal look at Queen Mab, and her Dark Underbelly series is, as you’d expect, dark and (if you’re a little twisted) oh-so-yummy.The contemporary Safeword series gives us characters who happen to have some extreme kinks. Relationships can be difficult enough without throwing power exchange into the mix, and her books show characters who care enough about each other to fight to make the relationship work. Each couple in the Safeword series gives the reader a different take on the lifestyle.You can visit Candace on the web at candaceblevins.com. Feel free to friend her on Facebook at facebook.com/candacesblevins and Goodreads at goodreads.com/CandaceBlevins. You can also join facebook.com/groups/CandacesKinksters to get sneak peeks into what she's writing now, images that inspire her, and the occasional juicy teaser.Stay up to date on Candace’s newest releases, and get exclusive excerpts by joining her mailing list at http://bit.ly/cb-new-release.Chattanooga Supernaturals series, paranormal romance:•The Dragon King (Aaron Drake’s story, and the first time we meet Duke and Brain)•Riding the Storm (Kendra and Eric’s story)•Acceptable Risk (Bethany, Ranger, Mac, and Jonathan’s story)•Careful What You Ask For (Britches story)•Hallowed Destiny – Forged by Darkness•Uncaged (Ghost’s mother’s story)•Cocky Queen•Unhallowed Murder•Unexpected GiftsOut of the Fire series, paranormal romance:•The Gift•Countdown to Murder•Present Tense•Cat out of Hell Volume I•Cat out of Hell Volume II•Cat out of Hell Volume IIIOnly Human series, urban fantasy•Only Human•An Unhuman Journey•Of Humans and Monsters•Defining Human•Edge of Humanity•Infinitely Human•Unhuman ActsRolling Thunder Motorcycle Club Series•Duke•Brain•Bash Volume I•Bash Volume II•Bash Volume III•Horse•Nix•Gonzo (where we first meet Britches/Briana)•Ghost•Bud•Razor•Bubbles•McGyverRolling Thunder Birmingham•Dementor•Bobcat•Frost•SquatchThe Dark Underbelly•Pride (A short story featuring The Lion King)•Indentured Freedom: Owned by the Vampire (Gavin)•Leashed (Abbott)•An Elegant Weapon (Bran)A Dark(ish) Faerie Tale•Slave•Lady•Consort•QueenThe Safeword series, intense BDSM contemporary romance•Safeword Rainbow•Safeword: Davenport•Safewords: Davenport and Chiffon•Safeword: Quinacridone•Safeword: Matte (Sam and Ethan Levi’s story, we first meet Frisco and Cassie)•Safeword: Matte – In Training•No Safeword: Matte – The Honeymoon•No Safeword: Matte – Happily Ever After•Safeword: Arabesque (Frisco, Cassie, Isaac, and Cam’s story)•Safeword: Mayday (TBA)•Safeword: Mayday – Adding their Fourth (TBA)Other Contemporary BDSM Romance titles•Absolute Power Exchange – Twenty Years Later

Book preview

Blurb

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, and it’s important she can’t beat him 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 to her – 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.

Chapter One

Sam felt the kick to the back of her right leg just before it buckled in slow motion, and gravity took her down. Her left foot was still in the air and useless — she’d left herself wide open. What was with her today? Without enough leverage to push her body into a back handspring, there was no choice but to fall on her ass.

She didn’t even try to fall the right way. She deserved the pain for leaving herself open. She wanted it to hurt.

Randy was still standing over her, and still in attack mode, so Sam said, "Matte," –– the word their dojo used to end fights.

Randy relaxed his stance and leaned forward, hands braced on his thighs, breathing hard. What the hell was that?

She looked up at him from the dojo floor with a grimace. Fuck if I know. I left myself wide open and gave you a beautiful opening. Congrats. Looks like I’m buying drinks tonight.

Uh, no. He looked towards the wall, glanced back at her, stood, and focused on the striking edge of his hand as if it might need his attention. Can’t go out for drinks tonight. Sorry.

Well, that was new. Hey, no need to be sorry, but you don’t get a rain check. Got a hot date?

Randy shuffled his feet, dropped his hand, and talked to the wall. Well, yeah. But isn’t it weird for me to talk to you about it?

Sam put her palms to the floor by her ears, threw her legs in the air as she arched her back, and pushed up with her hands. She landed gracefully on her feet, and waited until he looked at her before telling him, Not weird. We tried to date, it didn’t work, and now we’re back to being friends and sparring partners. If you find someone who makes you happy then I’m happy for you. It’s too bad it didn’t work, but it didn’t, and we were both all grown up and shit about it, so we’re good. Right?

Yeah, we’re good. He looked down and scuffed his bare foot into the floor of the dojo. But I’ve heard you told a few people you’re done with dating and you aren’t interested in going out with anyone for the foreseeable future. He emphasized the last two words as he looked up and met her gaze again. Was it so bad with me, you’ve decided not to date at all?

No, Randy, it’s just that… Sam sighed and looked down, trying to figure out how to explain. There are places to go where there are other people who like to do…

She ran her hand over her head and down her ponytail. It would only be a big deal if she treated it that way. She needed to just say it and move on. People who like to do the things I like to do in bed. So it’s not so much I won’t be dating at all anymore, but I’m only going to date people I meet at those places, so I know up front we have the same kinks. The problem with that is I have issues letting guys spank me when I know I could kick their ass, and I can kick most guys’ asses with one arm tied behind my back. She smiled, a little embarrassed because Randy had proven to be zero-percent kinky, but she tried to act as if this were any other conversation. So, for now, yeah, I am kind of calling it quits and focusing on other things, but it’s nothing you did. I’m glad our friendship survived, and I don’t want you thinking you did anything wrong, okay? I’m the warped and twisted one, you’re fine.

He looked at her a few heartbeats, and when he finally spoke, she could tell he was carefully picking his words. I still feel as if I failed you in some way, but it’s just not in me to hurt a woman sexually. I mean … he trailed off, looking forlorn and helpless and terribly uncomfortable. I’m sorry.

She glanced at the clock, realized they were probably done for the day, and took a few steps toward the women’s locker room without turning away from him. Don’t apologize. We’ve already been through this. We’re good, Randy. You were true to who you are, I was true to who I am, and we both respect the other for it. I’m glad I can still call you my friend. Now go take your girl out and have a nice evening, okay?

He grinned, Okay. I’m going to hit the shower. You still going to the fight tomorrow night?

Oh yeah, I think Tom has an excellent chance to win this year’s local title and move up to the regionals.

I have a few concerns. He’s pretty strictly a martial arts fighter, and he’ll be up against kickboxers and street fighters, and they’re going to do things he won’t be expecting.

Sam shrugged. Yeah well, he’ll do things they won’t expect, too. I’ll probably work late tomorrow, so I’ll just meet ya’ll at the arena.

* * * *

So do we have an agreement? Joint custody with the kids spending every other week with each parent, the rotation happening on Monday at three o’clock so it happens just before school ends. One parent drops off in the morning, the other picks up in the evening. Primary address for legal purposes will be at Richard’s house since he lives in the school zone the children will be attending...

Sam read the basics aloud, since she’d be the one hammering it into the mediation agreement. She loved it when people could be grown-ups and work in the best interests of their children. She made more money when they fought and couldn’t come to an agreement and landed in front of a judge, but she preferred it this way. In fact, the couple had been so well behaved, she and the other attorney hadn’t even brought in an outside mediator; they’d just sat down with their clients and come to an agreement.

She finished up, saw them to the door, and went back to her office to type everything up while it was fresh on her mind. She’d timed it well — she had just enough time to finish this and change clothes before walking down the hill to the arena for the fight.

* * * *

When Sam arrived at the arena, she stood in line to show her ticket, stood in another line for the metal detectors, and finally made it into the building, through the tunnels, and down to the floor seats.

Sam was the last of their friends to arrive, and Cassie was sitting in the middle of the guys, but her friend started right in with musical chairs. Can you guys shift over so Sam can sit by me, please?

Randy and Francisco stood and moved out into the aisle so Sam could move in, and Francisco ended up beside her. He bumped her shoulder with his and said, Cutting it kind of close, aren’t you Chica?

Honestly? I figured I’d miss the first few fights and was aiming to be here in time for the middleweight fights, so I’d be sure to be seated by the time the heavyweights started. Things worked out well today though, so here I am.

All work and no play, Cassie said in a sing-song voice from her other side.

Luckily, the announcer chose that moment to step out and begin talking, so Sam was saved from being reminded yet again that she really needed to stop working so much.

The group watched the fights progress, four fights per weight class, four weight classes, and each fight could go a maximum of twelve minutes in this round, though most didn’t last five minutes before someone was either knocked out or the fight was called before the loser was seriously hurt. Someone did get hurt in one of the middleweight bouts, and was taken out on a stretcher. The crowd loved it, but Sam was worried about the guy. By the time Tom’s weight class started, she was wondering if this was such a good idea. Sure, Tom could kick just about anyone’s ass, but these guys were playing for keeps. His fight was scheduled to be the final bout of the night, and she wondered if he was watching his future competitors from backstage, or if he was in a quiet room getting his head where it needed to be.

The announcer introduced the first two heavyweight fighters, and Sam couldn’t take her eyes off one of them. Ethan Levi, according to the announcer, was six foot five inches tall and weighed in at two hundred and seventy-one pounds. He looked bigger than life, with muscles on top of muscles – just on the verge of looking like a bodybuilder, though not quite. She could tell he hadn’t merely bulked up, he was just that strong, and he moved like a dancer. He was going to be lethal once they locked him into the cage. He was bald and tanned, and probably her age — early thirties. She wondered what