Excitement. It gets the blood flowing more quickly throughout your body, to all parts of your body. Why it’s enough to make you aroused probably also has to do with various chemicals that get released into your system when you’re excited for nonsexual reasons.
I saw pointed out once that, biochemically and physiologically speaking, all really intense emotions look pretty much alike. Your body will react much the same way to seeing a really hot member of the opposite sex as to seeing a smilodon about to pounce on you. The difference is all in the context.