Gemotions

"Denied." Maya whispered the word aloud, the sound catching in her throat. Her knuckles were white as she gripped the edges of the desk. A warmth began to simmer deep in her core, slowly spreading outward, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

She took a shaky breath, then another. Her pulse hammered in her ears. She felt a twitch in her jaw and pressed her lips together to stop her teeth from chattering.

She reached for a nearby water bottle and chugged down the entire contents in one go, the cold liquid momentarily offering a brief, fragile respite. Then, her gaze fell to the exercise bike. She could almost feel the sweat beading up her skin at the thought.