Ahh! Seems to be a misunderstanding here
Your preferences absolutely do matter. the dice doesn't determine what your character wants to do, that's entirely up to you. based on choices made. If you are on a date you can absolutely choose whether to be submissive, dominate, or somewhere in between (as in let the dice fall where they may)
what you CANT control is how the NPC is feeling at the time. Their social roll determine it. If you choose to be submissive (or maternal) in the date, thats your choice regardless what the dice would have rolled. There might be a roll to see how well you pulled that off though, and the date would have to be in a Paternal state of mind to be receptive to it.
Lets again use the dominating foxy business woman. There may be a romantic reason for being on the date, or a story driven reason.
You want to give the date as much of a success as you want, and you are certain that the business woman likes to be dominate.
you may have these choices.
-- Lean forward and attempt to give her a kiss
-- Lock eyes with her
-- Start to reach for her hand, but pull back.
-- Give her a warm smile (Neutral)
The first option would lock you into the Paternal roll, and your chances will be purely if the date rolls being in a Maternal state of mind
Where as the third option would be more submissive in nature. Second one will allow random chance (and has best chance of overall success), where as last would be if you going for the Friendship route
Now, Social is the ONLY slider that affects whether a date is successful or not. The other slides will help determine if an NPC would be interested in you in a romantic way, because the NPCS have their OWN preferences.
This wont be a game where every single NPC wants to get in your pants. Some will have romantic potential, others friendship potential, based on those sliders.