1.   A tiled floor in the kitchen is as hard as stone, and very cold beneath your feet.

2.   His muscles were hard as wood, locked in a pain of waiting, waiting for a touch to release them.

3.   You work so hard as my farm manager that I want you to have a larger share of the profits.

4.   His face had grown hard as flint, the skin taut and bloodless.

5.   Light hit his face as hard as the stinging raindrops.

6.   Shiona scowled into his face with its arrogant high cheekbones, self-satisfied mouth and eyes as hard as sapphires.

7.   Underneath, Luke Calder was as tough and hard as old nails.

8.   But not as hard as her first meeting with Mr Mystery was going to be.

9.   Almost as hard as remembering T.J. is thinking about what he wanted to be.