Hal made it to Reno by 7 PM, having gone flat out for the rest of the afternoon. Cody had slept some more, ate some sandwiches, leafed through the Black Elk book and then slept again, all the while wrapped up in the motel bed sheet. As they drove into the suburbs of Reno, Cody was in the back doing her hair and makeup.
"We need to take care of fuel and dinner, Princess," Hal called over his shoulder.
"And one more thing," Cody replied.
"A place to stay?"
"Panties, Hal. I want some panties."
"Panties," Hal said, which was a word he didn't say very often.
"I've been wearing nothing underneath for days now. If you want me wearing short short mini skirts for you, I want some panties underneath."
"Okay Princess, fair enough. Let's find a mall with a restaurant and panties."
Cody giggled as she brushed her hair out. "Is there a Flying J in Reno?"
"We already passed it back in Fernley."
Hal spotted a sign for an upcoming TA truck stop and took the exit off Interstate 80. He steered the rig into an open lane with a hiss of air brakes and shut the truck down before climbing out of the cab and fishing in his wallet for the company card. Hal got the main and satellite tanks filling before washing the windows and refilling his DEF tank, then climbed back in the cab and pulled the truck forward into a parking spot.
"I'm going inside to get my receipt Princess, do you want to use the washrooms?"
"Yuck, but yes," he heard her say. Cody emerged from the back, her hair done and fresh makeup. She looked heavenly. She had put on her grey, flippy mini skirt from the hostel, and the t-shirt Hal had bought her.
Hal climbed down from the cab and Cody followed. She hopped down from the running board, and her mini skirt floated up, exposing her smooth, bare ass and the front of her. She quickly smoothed the skirt back down and held it down with one hand as she walked with Hal across the service lanes to the building. Truckers in various stages of refueling turned their heads to watch her as she strutted past in her bare legs and heels, the breeze toying dangerously with her mini skirt's hem.
Hal barged the lineup at the cash to ask for the woman's washroom key and then got in line while Cody went to the washrooms at the back. "Wish me luck!" she giggled, and walked away with her heels echoing on the marmoleum, her hips twitching, and her little skirt swishing from side to side. Everyone in the lineup was male, and everyone in the lineup had their eyes on her.
"I hate to see you go, but I love to watch you walk away," muttered a voice quietly, followed by snorts and chuckles. Hal hoped nobody would notice his huge hard-on. The lineup was quick but Hal got to talking with another trucker about the weather forecast for the Verdi range, and missed Cody's exit.
When Hal returned, Cody was waiting outside the locked cab, her arms folded under her ample chest and the wind fluttering her beautiful hair. From a distance, he could see how short her skirt looked, and how long it made her beautiful bare legs look. The breeze teased her little skirt up in the back, and Hal caught a flash of her bare bum cheeks. His penis rehardened, the tip aching as it rubbed against fabric as he walked.
"Was it a horror show, Princess?"
Cody smiled. "Kind of, but all I had to do was lift up my skirt and squat a li'l." She winked and giggled at Hal's reaction.
"You're a tease," he said.
"It's cooler here in Reno," she said, as Hal unlocked the cab door.
"We're at a higher elevation being at the foot of this range," he said.
"It's refreshing after how hot it was in Nebraska," she said. "I can feel the cool breeze going up my skirt." As she said this, she climbed up into the cab and the wind lifted her skirt in the back. Hal could see right up underneath to her bare vulva.
"Oh god," he moaned. Cody didn't say anything, but reached out and shut the door. Hal walked around to the driver's side and climbed up into the cab. The tip of his swollen penis felt every movement as the fabric of his underwear rubbed back and forth across its slick tip.
Cody had slipped her heels off into her bare feet again. She crossed her legs and pointed her toes slowly, letting her bare feet arch and her bare soles wrinkle. Hal cleared his throat. "Let's head for Meadowood," he said and pulled the rig out back onto the interstate. They turned south on 580, driving past the airport and to the sprawling mall. As in Salt Lake City, Hal had to park the rig on the outskirts of the parking lot, which meant Cody had to walk across yards of breezy blacktop in her little mini skirt. Cody guarded her hemline closely, not wanting her bare bum or vulva to show with so many people around. Hal could feel the tension drain from her when they finally walked in through the nearest entrance and calm air.
"Okay, I'm hungry," she said.
"Food first?"
"Yeah, I've gone a few days without panties, I can survive another 45 minutes."
"I can't believe this is our conversation."
Cody laughed and Hal pulled her gently into his side in a hug. Cody let him keep his arm around her as they came up to the hostess of a generic mall restaurant. The hostess's eyes roamed up and down Cody and briefly flickered. "For two?" she chirped. Cody and Hal nodded. She seated them in a booth, and Cody and Hal flipped open their menus. Hal's eyes glazed over at the inflated prices. He was used to the truck stop fare. Everything here came with an ocean of fries, and everything that wasn't fries was breaded on a bed of wilted romaine lettuce. Hal settled on a chicken caesar salad as the lesser tribulation. To his mild surprise, Cody ordered the "Asian stir fry."
After their server left, Cody slipped off her heels and tucked her legs up to the side on the seat, and pointed her bare toes. Her wrinkled, dirty bare soles faced away from public scrutiny, but from the way her skirt draped around her hips, Hal realized Cody's bare ass was resting directly on the seat.
"Do you still want to model in LA?" Hal asked. Cody looked reflectively up at the ceiling for a moment.
"Yeah, but I'm gonna need a day job and an affordable place to live."
"That's not going to be Santa Monica or Venice Beach," said Hal.
"Where should I live?"
"Pretty much wherever you find an affordable place, but there's some places to avoid."
"Like where?"
"Oh I don't know. Last time I was there, the east side of downtown was kinda sketchy. Also some places east of the airport. I'd have to ask my friend."
"The one with the delivery truck company?"
"Yeah or Rob, who's in the restaurant business."